How Has the Nature of Family Life Changed in Australia over the Past 50 Years and What Impact Has This Had on Australian Society ?

Family and society have come across many changes during our history. Every change that occurred has affected what many people would call the "Benchmark Family" (Scanzoni #7). This is considered the perfect family or the norm. The Family would consist of the husband that is the breadwinner and the wife who is responsible for raising the children, and taking care of the home (Scanzoni #4). Society has changed dramatically from the 19th century. These changes in turn have affected Family. Many factors through the years have been responsible for these changes. Feminism is a tremendous factor that is still having its effect on family and society today. Another factor is employment. Women in the workplace have changed family structure

Throughout human history individuals around the world, of various ethnic, racial, cultural backgrounds have linked together to form what people call today families. A lot of questions come to mind when contemplating the complex relationship people have. Since families have a direct bearing on society now and on future generations it is essential to take seriously what is happening to the family. Is the American family in decline, and if so what should be done about it? “Traditionally, family has been defined as a unit made up of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption: live together; form an economic unit, and bear and raise children (Benokraitis, 3).” The definition of decline is to “fail in strength, vigor, character, value, deteriorate, slant downward.” The traditional nuclear family consists of a father provider, mother-homemaker, and at least one child (Brym and Lie, 252).” The nuclear family is a distinct and universal family form because it performs five important functions in society:sexual regulation, economic cooperation, reproduction, socialization, and emotional support. Research from the 1950 's to the present will emphasize what trends are taking place among American families. Family trends might not have expected???

Due to primary socialisation, the children in the family would then be socialised into their gender roles so then when their time comes to marry and have children, this family structure will continue: the male has the instrumental role and the woman has the expressive role. To contradict with this view from Parsons’, the feminist theory would challenge this view when considering the inequality which comes of this. One argument made by feminists is to do with the oppression which women have dealt with for many years due to their somewhat, ascribed role of being inferior to men, up until around the 1960’s.

The concept of family has been changing, thus becoming more diverse and complex, throughout contemporary society because of social change (Barnes & Rowe 2013). The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) define a family as “two or more persons, one of whom is at least 15 years of age, who are related by blood, marriage (registered or de facto), adoption, step or fostering, and who are usually resident in the same household”. The diversity in a modern family was supported by the Australian Institute of Families (2016) as they analysed data from the current family groups today; couple families, couples without children, lone parents with children, grandparent families and step and blended families, these family types also correlate with that reported by (Barnes & Rowe 2013). Social pressure was a significant factor in family concepts throughout most of the 20th century, as ex-nuptial births rose from 4.8% in 1960 to 34.4% in 2008. Another factor of social pressure, was woman in work, whilst living with dependent children, the rate of these woman in paid work, increased from 43% in

What important changes in family patterns do you see today? Today I see family patterns change in many perspectives ways. Families are more independent. They form their own opinions in their decision making. Do you see positive changes, negative changes, or both? I would have to say that I see both positive and negative changes in families. The positive that I see is that many husbands are more involved with their children and even some are now stay home dads taking care of the children while women go to work, the negative that I see is that there are many people filing for divorce and children being raised by single parents. What do they mean for families, in your opinion? My opinion is that most people are

Diversity in British households has significantly changed over the years. To understand the full extent of the changes in British household diversity, examination of the family life in the 1950s era is essential. Furthermore then to discuss the types of diversity which now exist in families today. Lone-parenting is defined as a mother or father living without a partner who then has responsibility of a dependent child and is one diversity which will be discussed in great depth. Deliberating on the size of family sizes today is necessary to see the diversity in British households.

Over the last five decades there have been many studies, reports, papers written and statistics collected regarding the changing face of the Australian Family. Much of this information focuses on living arrangements, relationships such as marriage and de facto, one parent households, working mothers and fertility rates to name a few. There are several factors that have caused variance to the structure and values of the Australian family including the increase of divorce, remarriage, same sex relationships, one parent families and blended families. This paper will look at the extent of change that the Australian family has undergone in the last 50 years, focusing on two key issues, firstly the impact of women entering the workforce and secondly the decrease of fertility rates.

Families are becoming increasingly diverse in the UK because of changing norms and values in society. Postmodernists highlight that people are free to choose the family type that suits them best therefore allowing for harmonious relationships in society. On the other hand Functionalists are against family diversity and argue that a family that does not fit the nuclear model creates instability.

Assess the sociological reasons for the change in the social position of children and the consequences of these changes for the family and society (24 marks)

Since then throughout Australia it has evolved in different cultures and in different ways. They can be thought back to the values of their own societies. In no part of Australian culture are gender roles put in its place, and the continuing ways that gender roles are evolving and will be highly interesting to men and women. Yet a few cultures are resistant to making changes and changing their traditions. Men and women undergo different tasks in some

Families and their specific roles with each other and society and community had evolved, rules for children and their place within the family structure were far more cohesive as they not only relied on each other for economic and social support, but on their communities as well. With new

The roles within the family unit have changed as the years have come by. There are many of variations of the family that have changes over the years. There used to be hunters and gatherers, agricultural families, pre- industrialized families, urban industrialized families, and contemporary Canadian families. When focusing on the hunters and gatherers and the pre -industrialized families, there are many similarities and differences in between them.

n the upcoming page’s I will answer the following questions. Why is family the most important agent of socialization? What caused the dramatic changes to the American family? What are the changes? I will discuss the differences in marriage and family, I will discuss how they are linked to class, race, gender, and personal choices. The purpose of this study is to explore the many different family functions and the paths that people are now choosing. I will give my opinion on whether these changes have had a positive or negative affect. I will finally discuss the trend of the modern family, back to pre-World War II family structure, how would that effect the strides that have been made in the progression of women rights.

This paper will discuss the differences between families from the 1960’s and the families of today. There are many differences between the different times. I have focused on the parentage portion of the families. I explained what the ideal family is and how it is different today. I’ve also included ways that will help these families of today become stronger as a family.

Most people argue that the family is in ‘crisis’. They point to the rapidly increasing divorce rate, cohabitation, illegitimacy and number of single parent families.