Question 1

According to which political point of view should society develop collective arrangements for performing housework and child care?

Accepted Answer

The radical left political point of view argues for collective arrangements for performing housework and child care as a means of achieving gender equality and reducing the burden of unpaid care work on women. They advocate for communal living arrangements and public childcare services to support working women and families. Conservative and radical right views tend to emphasize individual responsibility and traditional gender roles, while liberal views may support policies for parental leave and workplace flexibility but may not promote collective arrangements for housework and child care.

Question 2

What "family problems" do people see from the conservative point of view? What about the liberal point of view? What about the radical-left point of view? How would each political position define solutions to family problems?

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

Which political point of view claims that, in order to increase social equality, we need to replace the family as we know it?

Accepted Answer

The political point of view that claims that we need to replace the family as we know it in order to increase social equality is associated with the radical left. This view argues that the traditional family perpetuates inequality and reinforces power structures, and that an alternative form of family or community organization is necessary to achieve true social equality.

Question 4

Do you think that conflict between family life and work is more common today than it was a century ago? Why or why not? What factors are involved in this change? On balance, do you see these changes as good or not? Why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Discuss the controversy surrounding divorce. What arguments do people make in support of more easily accessible divorce? What criticisms do people make? What do liberal and conservative political points of view each have to say about divorce?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

What do we learn about family life from sociology's major theoretical approaches, including structural-functional analysis, symbolic-interaction analysis, social-conflict analysis, and feminist analysis? What can you draw from these various types of analyses that might help you make family life better in some ways?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Friedrich Engels developed an early theory of family life making the claim that men gained control of women's sexuality as a means to protect their own wealth. This claim is the foundation for which type of theoretical analysis?

Accepted Answer

Engels' theory of family life is a key component of social-conflict analysis, which focuses on the ways in which society is divided by class, gender, race, and other factors, and how these divisions lead to inequality and conflict. Engels argued that men's control over women's sexuality was a way to maintain their own power and wealth, and that this power dynamic is inherent to the structure of society.

Question 8

Which theoretical analysis views the family less as an institution and more in terms of ongoing relationships among individuals?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic-interaction analysis views the family as comprising ongoing relationships among individuals, emphasizing the role of communication, symbols, and meanings in shaping those relationships. This perspective focuses on how family members interact with and interpret each other's behavior, rather than viewing the family as a static institution or structure.

Question 9

From which point of view would someone see the rise in cohabitation as spelling trouble for U.S. society?

Accepted Answer

Conservatives often view cohabitation as a threat to traditional family values and the institution of marriage. They may argue that it undermines the importance of commitment and stability in relationships, leading to negative social and economic consequences.

Question 10

Which theoretical analysis explains how the family perpetuates inequality by continuing the class system?

Accepted Answer

Social-conflict analysis focuses on the inequalities and conflicts that exist in society, including those related to social class. This perspective argues that the family perpetuates inequality by passing down class status and related resources from one generation to the next. This can include economic and cultural advantages, such as access to education, job opportunities, and social networks, which give individuals from higher classes greater opportunities for success and reinforce the class system.

Question 11

Which of the following is a "micro-level" analysis of the family?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic-interaction analysis is a micro-level analysis that focuses on how family members interact with each other and create shared meanings and understandings within the family. It examines how individuals' actions, emotions, and communication patterns shape and are shaped by their family relationships. In contrast, social-conflict analysis, structural-functional analysis, and feminist analysis are macro-level analyses that focus on broader social structures, power dynamics, and inequalities that exist within and outside the family.

Question 12

Which political point of view considers "family values" to mean getting-and staying-married with parents displaying strong commitment to children?

Accepted Answer

This viewpoint aligns with conservative ideology, which tends to promote traditional values and a focus on family structure.

Question 13

Which political point of view places the greatest emphasis on support for diverse family forms, including cohabitation, single-parent families, blended families, same-sex marriages, and singlehood?

Accepted Answer

The political point of view that places the greatest emphasis on support for diverse family forms, including cohabitation, single-parent families, blended families, same-sex marriages, and singlehood is typically associated with the liberal ideology. Liberals tend to support individual liberty and are more accepting of different lifestyles and family structures.

Question 14

Discuss how and why the traditional definition of a family as a married couple with children has broadened in recent decades. What major family forms are common today?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Which political point of view claims that conventional families are breaking down: divorce, single-parenting, and living together without marriage are symptoms of a "me first" culture that weakens society and places children at risk?

Accepted Answer

The conservative political point of view often holds traditional family values in high regard, and may view the breakdown of conventional families as evidence of a decline in societal values. They often place emphasis on the nuclear family structure and the role of a married mother and father in raising children.

Quiz 12: Family Life