UK Family Structure and Social Dynamics

UK Family Structure and Characteristics

• Monogamy and Serial Monogamy: The British are monogamous and practice serial monogamy, meaning one can have no more than one consecutive spouse or one husband/wife at a time.
• Romantic Love Basis: The family is based on the idea of romantic love in Britain, which has become naturalized (considered normal).
• Patrilineal and Neolocal: Families are typically patrilineal (the father passes the surname to children) and neolocal (the married couple moves to a detached house away from their two families). (Contrast with Matrilineal: surname by female line; Matrilocal: near the bride's parents; Patrilocal: near the groom's parents or father's home).

Family Model Evolution and Diversity

Family models show evolution and diversity, influenced by several factors:

• Organizational: How families organize their domestic duties and relationships.
• Cultural: Presence and influence of ethnic minority movements have produced a cultural variety of families.
• Class: Divisions based on social class.
• Cohort: Differences between generations within families.
• Life Cycle: Changes throughout the family's life stages.

Diversity also includes sexual family organizations.

Divorce is higher among the British, and there are many single parents.

Inequality within the Family

The man's salary is below the woman's.

Terri Apter: Women need economic independence and at the same time want to be mothers to their children.

Women still do most household chores.

Arlie Hochschild: Speaks of the "revolution postponed" (referring to the situation of women and men).

Marjorie Devault: Household work activities are primarily done by women.

Intimate Violence

• Sexual Abuse: An adult performs sexual acts with a minor who is below the age of consent.
• Incest: Sex between close relatives.

Child protection defines maltreatment under 4 categories: neglect, physical maltreatment, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.

Domestic Violence

Physical violence inflicted by one family member upon another.

Violence by husband against wife: 10% suffer violence, and it affects between one third and one quarter of women at some point.

Feminist groups provide centers and shelters for battered women.

Women who mistreat a man may do so defensively.

(William Goode: Unemployed men assaulted more).

Divorce and Separation

Divorce used to be granted only in limited cases, such as lack of sex in marriage.

One spouse had to accuse the other of cruelty, desertion, or adultery.

Now, two-fifths of marriages end in divorce.

Single-Parent Households

Half of widowed mothers own their homes, but many pay rent.

85% of single mothers did not plan their pregnancy.

Fewer and fewer women want children without partners.

Absent Fathers

A father who has little contact with children or loses track of them ("death of the Dad").

Historically, the father was the economic mainstay, not at home all day.

Absent fathers are linked to increased crime and costs to the state.

(David Blankenhorn: Divorce societies face the deterioration of the very idea of fatherhood).