Homework~~~

Examine the effects of urbanisation and industrialisation on the family and household structure.



Urbanisation is the concentration increases in population in the cities or towns. And industrialisation is where a large part of workforce is entry to industries rather than agriculture or cottage and many production is mechanised.

According to Talcott parsons,this leads to isolated nuclear family.There is a loss of function performed by family as many of the function are taken by government. Family is no longer the production unit.A person`s statues is achieved rather than ascribed, so the children are less likely to have the same job as their parents had before. The extended family network may be harmful to the society as they might tie down the mobility of the worker.However, family still perform the function of socialisation of children and stabilisation of adult`s personalities.And the picture of isolated nuclear family may most probably been exaggerated.Modified extended family where people contact their extended family through the advanced technology is widespread,

Peter Laslett`s research shows that nuclear family was the norm in the pre-industrial England and Western Europe. And research by Michael Anderson suggest that the early stage of industrialisation may encourage the development of extended family, especially for working-class, they operated it as a mutual aid organisation, provide supports.

Okaley argues industrialisation have effects on women. During the early stage of industrialisation, married women often work in the factories. But since the restriction of the child labour began, they are gradually exclude from labour force and restricted to home. The housewife become the primary role for women. However, today the marjority of women have returned to labour force.

Michael Young and Peter Willomtt claim that the family in Britain has developed through three stage of industrialistion.
Firstly, the Pre-industrial family while family is a production unit.
Secondly, the early industrial family.extended family are widespread in working-class, some functions of family are taken over by government, school, industries and hospital.
Lastly, the symmetrical family. the typical family is nuclear, home-centred and privatised,most importantly, it is symmertrical which meant the role of husband and wife become increasingly similar.
However, they had been criticised for falling to address the negative aspect of changed in the modern family.Feminists argues the concept of symmetrical family, as women are still mainly reponsible for household tasks.And the extended family may be more important to address up than nuclear family.

In the 21st century,The family is undergoing radical changes under the pressure of an ageing population, longer lifespans, increased female working, the tendency to marry later in life, the falling birth rate and the rising divorce rate.A study of london based group says.With fewer brothers,sisters and cousins, the children are growing faster.This could lead to social dislocation since children are growing up isolated from other children and young adult, they would tend to adopt selfishness attitude.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/may/05