Sociological perspectives of family and household

Sociological perspectives of family and household Introduction For the purpose of the assignment title I aim to explain four sociological perspectives of the family and the household. I will also try and evaluate each perspective and give my own opinions of their views. I will then go onto explaining how childrens roles and the roles and relationships have changed within the family over time, and give a brief overview of how the family in todays society has changed through diversity and multi-cultural structures. Functionalism Functionalists view the family as a nuclear family structure, i.e. a mother, father and 1 or 2 children. Murdock surveyed 250 societies from the small hunting tribes to the large industrialised societies. He found that in every society there was some form of a nuclear family, he concluded from this study that the nuclear family was universal. Murdocks definition of a nuclear family is The nuclear family is a universal human social grouping. Either as the sole prevailing form of the family or as the basic unit from which more complex forms are compounded. It exists as a distinct and strongly functional group in every known society, (Murdock cited in Haralambos, M. 1985. 326) Within the framework of the nuclear family, Murdock identified with four family functions which if were ignored, society would not exist. Sexual, Reproduction, Economic and Education were the four functions. Similar to Murdock, Tallcott Parsons another functionalist had his own views of what functions the nuclear family should contribute to society. He believed that there were two important roles within the family Expressive and Instrumental. The womens role was the Expressive role as she was the one who raised, nurtured and taught the children the norms and values within the home. The mans role was the Instrumental role because he went out to work to provide financial security for his family. Parsons also identified the family as being the primary agent of socialisation and came up with the warm bath theory primary socialisation (norms and values) and stabilisation of adult personalities (support and love for the adults within the family. Criticisms Functionalists view of the family is similar to a fairy tale, because they ignore the family dynamics and in some families the darker side i.e. abuse, neglect and violence through male domination. Marxism A Marxist perspective of the family saw the family as a means of production and cheap labour whereby they are influenced by capitalism in a capitalist society. Marxists identified three main functions which they saw as a way for the family to fulfil for capitalism. Inheritance of Property means that in order for property to be handed down to a legitimate heir, sexual relationships need to be restricted to one person, thus the offspring would be blood related. For this to happen, The monogamous nuclear family developed with the emergence of private property, in particular the private ownership of the forces of production, and the advent of the state, (cited in Haralambos, M. 1985. 340) The second function is the Ideological Functions which families need to fulfil by socialising children with the ideas that there will always be bosses and workers within a capitalist society. The last function looks at the Unit of Consumption whereby families work to produce goods, which are bought by the families to enable them to be fed and clothed, which bring greater profit for the capitalists. Criticisms Marxists ignore the different structures of families which are found in todays society and with this the different roles within the family. Feminism Feministic views of the family are split into 3 groups, similar to that of the key perspectives. Liberal feminists believe that both the male and the females have equal roles within the family when it comes to the household chores and childcare. Marxist feminists view the women as the producer of future workers and womens oppression stems from capitalism and not the family. Radical feminists view of the family structure is one of patriarchal and that men are seen as the enemy. This type of family within society is also seen by feminists as the key institution in its contribution to maintaining social control Criticisms All three branches of feminism view the nuclear family as the most dominant unit within society, as well as believing that all members of the family serve society, performing different functions. Post Modernist A post modernistic view of the family is at the opposite ends of the scale to functionalism. Post modernists believe that in most societies there are diverse and multi-cultural types of families where members within these units are free to make their own life choices as to how, what and where they live, work and socialise within society. Post modernists also believe that everyone is entitled to the same opportunities in education, healthcare and family support as in their view, there are no class divisions (working and ruling classes), in most societies. Zietlin et al summarises this view of the world, The post modern world is shaped by pluralism, democracy, religious freedom, consumerism, mobility and increasing access to news and entertainment, (Zietlin class handout 2009. 92) Criticisms Because of their views of equal opportunities and freedom of speech and choices they ignore the fact that some people can and do make wrong choices with regards to ignoring the norms and values which are passed down the generations which inevitably upsets the social control aspects in some societies. How the roles and relationships of the family have change over time. Sociologists view childhood as Social Construction because they are biologically distinct from adults, (Harris, M. 2008.44) For this reason I will explain the question in two parts. Children The role of the child within a pre-industrial family (pre 1750), was one of equal standing. As soon as the child could walk and talk they were taught the family trade and were expected to carry on the family tradition. After the industrial revolution came the emergence of the industrial family (1800-1900), when children as young as 6 or 7 were sent to work in factories and down coal mines to bring money into the family home, however this brought about higher mortality rates because children werent as strong as adults. The mortality rates went into decline when the modern industrial family emerged (1900-2000), this is because children were starting to be seen as children and not as cheap labour. Experiences of childhood began to emerge for the majority of children within families, however there are still some societies today that still send their children out to work, but this is now not the norm in todays world. Gender roles and relationships During the pre-industrial years both men and women worked together with other family members. However this all changed between 1750 and 1900 when women were expected to stay at home and be responsible for household chores, childcare and producing the future workforce. This type of family structure was very patriarchal the men had the power so they were the dominators in the family. However this started to change when the modern industrial family emerged between 1900 and 2000, as more women were given the opportunity to become educated, this led to more women in the workforce. This led the family to share the household chores and the childcare and sometimes swap roles within the family if the man became unemployed. Diversity of the contemporary family structure What is a family? This question has been raised by many sociologists and the majority of these have all had different opinion. However in answer to this question, a family can be the nuclear or extended type of family, which are 2 or 3 generations living under one roof. This type of family was more common pre-1750 when families worked with and supported each other, and which still does happen in some cultures and societies i.e. Asian families. Other types of family structures which are more common in Britain today are the one parent families, the step families, the divorced families and the gay and lesbian families who have children. Families today are extremely diverse and multi-cultural through social influences from the media, education and global improvements. Conclusion Throughout this assignment I have paid particular attention to the different views of Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism and Post Modernism. I have given an evaluation of each perspective and have briefly described the changes in roles, relationships and structures within families. I have concluded in my evaluation that my opinion of families and households is one that in todays society of choice, freedom, diversity and multi-cultural structures that post modernism is by far the best view and explanation of society today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Haralambos, M Heald, R. (1985) Sociology Themes and Perspectives, (2nd ed), London, Unwin Hyman Limited. Harris, S (2008) Sociology AS A2 Revision, (3rd ed) Essex, Pearson Education Limited. Ritzer, G (1996) Modern Sociological Theory, (4th ed) Singapore, McGraw-Hill Book Co. Taylor, P. et al (1995) Sociology in Focus, Bath, Bath Press Zietlin, M. et al (1995) Strengthening the Family Implications for International Development, Tokyo, United Nations University Press www.sociologyonline.co.uk www.sociology.org.uk

Education Background

Qian Zhang 151 Washington Ave. Apt. E, Rutherford, NJ, 07070 (660) 541-2361 [email  protected] com Objective To obtain the Assistant position. Education Background Bachelor of Science in Financial Management, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO * GPA: 3. 59, December 2010 Curriculum of Financial Management Finance—Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Business Law I, Fundamental of Business Finance, Intermediate Finance Management, Financial Institutions, Investment Principles, Selected Cases in Finance * Accounting—Accounting I & II, Tax Accounting, Intermediate Accounting I, * Math—College Algebra, Calculus, Economic Mathematics, Statistics * Computer Science—Computer and Information Technology, MIS, * Management—Principles of Management, International Business, Managerial Communication, Operations Management, Human Resources Management, Organizational Behavior and Theory, Negotiation, Business Society, Organizational Policy and Decisi on-Making Awards and Scholarships * Northwest Transfer Scholarships every semester referred to GPA and campus activities * Edward Jones and Company Award Scholarship of Finance department * Society of International Ambassadors Scholarship Award * Nominee of the Outstanding Student of the First Student Organization and Leadership Award Work Experience Office Coordinator ~ Business/International and Intercultural Center, Maryville, MO August 2009 – December 2010 Improved the cooperation between university and international partners, assisted the supervisor on all kinds of projects and meetings * Provided support for partners and students by sending information and documents and communicating with international students, giving them advice and introducing regulations * Developed and updated webpage information for international partners, potential and current students * Scheduled, hosted and attended various visits, meetings and banquets * Worked with coworkers and other functio nal departments or work independently on the projects, and followed up on the progress and feedbacks of projects * Organized the hiring event, including filtering CVs and interviewing candidates, * Coordinated orientations, prepared training programs and trained new employees * Communicated with all international organizations time from time to make sure all activities are undergoing with regards to the bylaws of Northwest Missouri State University Accounting Assistant, Full Time Intern ~ eGTran Inc. , Camarillo, CA June 7 – July 30, 2010 * Prepared journal entries for accounting supervisor Keyed in data from forms, correspondence, reports, and other documents * Maintained accounts of internal departments and external agencies and did budgeting * Maintained and updated records of monthly and quarterly financial statements such as Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Income Statement and Statement of Retained Earnings, prepared payroll * Worked with other departments to adjust all accoun ts timely and effectively * Did some other agendas as assigned by supervisor Translator~ Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth College, Maryville, MO September- December 2009 * Translated English documents and class categories into Chinese * Volunteer as a translator of the communication activity between USDA and Ministry of Health P. R. China Office Assistant ~Business/ Intercultural and International Center, Maryville, MO June – August 2009 Received, answered phone calls and scheduled appointments * Assisted other staff and other departments on various projects and assignments, provided supports with office machines, such as fax machine, scanner, copy machines * Promoted to be the Office Coordinator Leadership Activities and Volunteer Experience * Leader of Student Orientation – Assisted and guided new students * Leader of Junior Achievement – Hosted business classes and organized related activities * Secretary of International Student Organization—Held annual banquet and organized various activities to help international students communicate with American communities * Member of Delta Mu Delta, International Honor Society in Business Administration * Member of Financial Management Association * Member of Asian Student Association * Currently studying CFA contents Skills Language—Native in Mandarin (Chinese Proficiency Certificate holder), Fluent in English (both written and spoken), Basic in Japanese * Computer—Microsoft Office Suite Interests * Reading—Learn various knowledge from books * Sport—Exercise to make body strong * Fine Arts—Is fond of Chinese calligraphy * Travelling—Experience diverse cultures and adapt myself with different environments References * Dr. Chi Lo Lim, Chairman of Marketing and Management Department, Northwest Missouri State University 660-562-1758 * Dr. Jeffrey Foot, Director of International and Intercultural Center, Northwest Missouri State University 660-562-1367 * Caroline Merker, Controller of eGTran Inc. , 805-482-1088

Operation fly trap

However, all of this wouldn't be possible without the help she received from the Harry Guggenheim Foundation award. That grant helped her begin her fieldwork in 2005. Her fieldwork was conducted in the Pueblos neighborhood in Los Angles, this is where she got inside information from the gang members themselves. She also studied from the Los Angles Police Department (LARD), here she befriended a couple of FBI agents that were in charge of Operation Fly Trap. All of this fieldwork paved her way In writing a very objective book.She received individually received both sides of the Issue and wrote this book to give her point of view on the subject. In her Ellwood she would study the effects of the justice department and the consequence it has on the community and family of the criminals involved. The time she spent on the inside, with the people of the gangs and the lives they lead, would lead Phillips to question both the success of this operation and the methods used to conduct it (Phil lips 175).Los Angles was struck with dramatic economical times, the economy was unraveling In every way possible. The economy was hurt by the 011 crisis, depreciating international dollar, dwindle of union jobs, bifurcation of the manufacturing sector, ND an unchanging education system (Phillips 7). All of these factors would be reasons of why a good working class citizen would turn to dealing drugs, being a member of a gang, and/or using drugs. Drug money was â€Å"easy money† as one would say.You could make stacks of money fast, with little effort most of the time. The hard part was not getting caught. With the Increase In drug activity happening In Los Angles was the same Increase In prison sentences. It got so bad that Incarceration became Californians number one industry. It would grow to employ the largest umber of people in the state (Phillips). One of the other important factors that have to do with the increase in incarcerations was the fact that the state of Califor nia waged a war on drugs.The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) went from housing 21 ,539 Inmates In 1978 to 217,444 in 2011, making drug offenders 55% of the BOP population (Phillips 8). Although part of this prison rate Is In fact due to the aggressive policing and harsh sentencing the criminals were given. This made Phillips think and wonder if all of this was part of the solution or Just part of the problem. From her extensive field work she goes on to say that the way the LAP approached the drug problem was in fact producing one of the problems they were trying so hard to prevent. Here she needed to take the next step, on the inside. She began this step by living in the neighborhood of Pueblos, which was run by the African American and Hispanic race. She luckily befriended a local named Ben Kaplan and lived there with his family. From there she was able to get a first hand view point the ever so popular drug environment. She was also able to see different sides of the spectrum lik e how he environment affected the families and communities alike. How the laws and actions of the police affected them as well.There use of surveillance, through wiretaps and confidential informants, having a negative impact on the lives of the community. She figures out how the families are shaped through this involvement in crime. Phillips research in all of this goes to prove how unbiased her book really is, she practiced true reflexivity. All of her facts are hard facts that she went and lived first hand. She witnessed drug deals, witnessed people snorting cocaine, and dinettes the wiretaps that were given to drug dealers.All of this information she writes from is purely unbiased facts, writing from an etc perspective, her way of co- existing with the people, sitting back and observing them, was how she approached her story. Phillips goes on to write about how the incarceration of a family member affects the family as a whole. Unintended consequences include threaten or actual e viction, the involvement of child social services, desalination of families, depression in children, and high mortality rates among already vulnerable people (Phillips 20).Arresting a drug dealer for â€Å"slinging† coke may seem like a win for the police but in all reality it causes a snowball effect on the rest of the family that will have to deal with. Phillips findings go on to say how the police work unintentionally tears apart the family functionalism. The only way to prevent crime is to have a strong united family. Operation Fly Trap was the combined effort of the LAP that removed twenty-eight key members of the local, gang-related drug trade. They did a great Job in reducing drug related crimes, however did very little in the gang related activity.Where the police succeed in incarceration rates, they fail in the goal to build a strong community. Phillips lasting conclusion in this ethnography is that incarceration can lead to increased poverty rates, negative health o utcomes, rises in violence, and instability among already vulnerable families. Lastly the importance of manufacturing gangs as iconic, newly federalism villains (Phillips 21). Phillips, Susan A. Operation Fly Trap: L. A. Gangs, Drugs, and the Law. N. P. : n. P. , n. D. Print. â€Å"Susan A. Phillips. † Susan A Phillips. N. P. , n. D. Web. 26 cot. 2013..

The Economy And The Work Of Adam Smith - 895 Words

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