The Family and Households

What the unit covers

This unit sits in the Families and the Life Course strand of Sociology. The resources work through the main topics in turn: theories of the family, family diversity, couples, childhood, changing family patterns, divorce and demography.

• Theories: the mind map Theories of the Family sets out positive views (functionalist and New Right) against critical views (Marxist and feminist), with Murdock's universal-family claim.
• Diversity: the Family Diversity map covers modernism, the nuclear family and the "cereal packet family".
• Couples: Are couples becoming more equal? compares the march of progress view with the feminist view, including paid work and responsibility for children.
• Childhood: the Childhood map looks at social construction, the new sociology of childhood and whether children's position has improved.

Where to start

Begin with the overview map Sociology - Unit 1:Families and households, which lists the main topics in one place. Then take one topic at a time. Theories of the Family is a good first stop, because later topics keep returning to functionalist, Marxist and feminist ideas.

Using maps and quizzes together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The Sociology paper 2 quiz asks short questions such as what kinship means and what ethnocentricity is. The Theories of the family quiz and the Functionalism/Marxism Family quiz suit the theory topics. Note what you miss, then go back to the map and read that branch again.

Learning the sociologists

Names and dates matter in this unit. The Family and Relationships flashcards ask what Murdock studied in 1949 and what Young and Wilmott argued in 1973. The mind maps on Ferri & Smith and Zaretsky add critical views to set beside them.

For teachers

The mix of maps, notes, slide sets and quizzes gives ready-made material for a class topic. Choose a topic, open a resource and see how it fits your lesson, or make your own versions to go alongside.