Contemporary Family Networks | Sociology Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Peter Willmott – networks in London

During the 1980s, Peter Willmott conducted a study in a North London suburb to examine the role of family networks in both middle and working-class communities. His research suggested that changes in production technology could potentially lead to the diffusion of Stage 4 family structures throughout the social strata.

• In the area Willmott studied, nearly one-third of the couples had relocated there within the past five years, and only one-third had parents or parents-in-law living within a ten-minute travel distance. Despite this distance, two-thirds of the couples maintained regular contact with their relatives, meeting at least once a week. Working-class couples tended to see their relatives more frequently than middle-class couples, although the difference was not significant.
• Most families found it relatively easy to maintain contact with their relatives, as many had access to cars, spacious homes that could accommodate visiting relatives, and telephones that allowed them to stay in touch even when they could not meet in person. Willmott discovered that family members continued to be the primary source of informal support and care, with little difference between classes. For instance, nearly 75% of the participants had relatives who occasionally helped with babysitting, and 80% relied on their relatives when they needed to borrow money.
• Peter Willmott's study highlights the importance of kinship networks in both middle and working-class communities in London, regardless of changes in production technology. These networks continue to play a crucial role in providing informal support and care, demonstrating the resilience and significance of family ties in modern society.

Margaret O’Brien and Deborah Jones – families and kinship in East London

Margaret O'Brien and Deborah Jones conducted research in the early 1990s in Barking and Dagenham, East London, a predominantly working-class area. They collected data on 600 young people and their parents, comparing their findings with a 1950s study of the same area by Peter Willmott. They discovered a greater variety of family and household types in the 1990s, with 14% of young people living with a step-parent and 14% in lone-parent families. Over one-third of births in the area were outside of marriage, and there were many dual-earner households, with 62% of women and 79% of men working in paid employment.

• In contrast, Willmott's 1950s study showed that 78% of people were married, and only 1% were divorced, with most single people being young and living with their parents. Despite these changes, O'Brien and Jones did not find any significant decline in the importance of kinship. In both studies, over 40% of the participants had grandparents living nearby, and in the 1990s, 72% had been visited by a relative in the previous week, with over half seeing their maternal grandparent at least weekly.
• The British Social Attitude Surveys conducted in the 1980s and 1990s revealed that family members remain the most important source of practical help, with the majority of the adult population being very family-centered. The vast majority believed that parents should continue to help children even after they had left home, and around 70% thought that people should keep in touch with close family members. A majority also believed that maintaining contact with extended relatives, such as aunts, uncles, and cousins, was important.
• McGlone et al.'s analysis of these surveys suggests that despite social changes affecting families between 1986 and 1995, kinship networks beyond the nuclear family remain important to people. They also found that differences between social classes persisted, with the working class more likely to have frequent contact than the middle class. Janet Finch similarly argues that there is no evidence of a decline in the sense of obligation to kin in general, despite the significant changes in family relationships since pre-industrial times.
• Although there has been a shift towards a greater variety of family and household types, the importance of kinship and family support has remained consistent over time. Both working-class and middle-class families in Britain continue to value their relationships with extended family members.

The ‘modified extended family’

Eugene Litwak suggests that the term "modified extended family" should be used to describe the typical family in modern industrial society, as it helps to clarify the confusion around the term "isolated nuclear family." He defines the modified extended family as a group of nuclear families that have a certain level of interdependence, where family members exchange significant services with one another. This differs from the isolated nuclear family, which is more self-contained. At the same time, the modified extended family maintains a considerable amount of autonomy, not being restricted by economic or geographical factors, which sets it apart from the traditional extended family.

The ‘modified elementary family’

Graham Allan agrees with Litwak's perspective that non-nuclear family members still hold significance in industrial societies. Based on his research in an East Anglian commuter village, Allan posits that non-nuclear family members typically do not depend on each other under normal circumstances. In many families, significant services may not be exchanged regularly, but members often feel obligated to maintain contact. For instance, married children rarely sever ties with their parents completely, and siblings usually stay in touch. Although significant services are not regularly exchanged, family members often recognize their duty to help each other during difficult times or crises.

However, Allan argues that these types of relationships are limited to an "elementary" family, which includes spouses, parents, children, and siblings, rather than extending to more distant relatives like uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and cousins. As a result, Allan prefers using the term "modified elementary family" over "modified extended family," as it more accurately represents the range of family members that hold importance for an individual.

The ‘dispersed extended family’

In the 1980s, based on research conducted in London, Peter Willmott concluded that the dispersed extended family is becoming increasingly prevalent in Britain, which is similar to findings by Litwak and Allan. A dispersed extended family consists of two or more related families who cooperate and maintain contact despite living at a distance from each other. While contact is less frequent than in traditional extended families, modern means of transportation and communication enable these families to stay connected.

• According to Willmott, each nuclear family within the dispersed extended family is only partially dependent on their extended kin. While the nuclear family is often self-sufficient, having extended kin can be invaluable during emergencies. Thus, he argues that kinship continues to thrive in modern Britain despite being optional.
• The research by McGlone et al. supports these conclusions, stating that kinship networks outside the nuclear family remain important. They suggest that core families with dependent children actually include not just the nuclear family, but also grandparents. Despite social changes that could weaken kinship ties, people continue to value these connections and make efforts to maintain them even when living far from their relatives.

Conclusion

Despite changes in family structures and social dynamics, the importance of kinship networks in both middle and working-class communities remains significant. Studies conducted in London and East Anglia demonstrate that family members continue to provide informal support and care, maintaining contact and a sense of obligation to one another. Terms like "modified extended family," "modified elementary family," and "dispersed extended family" help to describe these relationships, highlighting the resilience and significance of family ties in modern society.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Contemporary Family Networks

What was the main focus of Peter Willmott's study in North London during the 1980s?

Peter Willmott's study aimed to examine the role of family networks in both middle and working-class communities in a North London suburb, focusing on how changes in production technology might affect the diffusion of Stage 4 family structures throughout the social strata.

What were the key findings of Margaret O'Brien and Deborah Jones's research in East London in the early 1990s?

O'Brien and Jones found a greater variety of family and household types in the 1990s compared to the 1950s, such as an increase in step-parent and lone-parent families. Despite these changes, they did not find any significant decline in the importance of kinship, as family members remained the most important source of practical help.

What is the "modified extended family" as defined by Eugene Litwak?

The modified extended family is a group of nuclear families that have a certain level of interdependence, where family members exchange significant services with one another. It differs from the isolated nuclear family, which is more self-contained, and maintains a considerable amount of autonomy compared to the traditional extended family.

How does Graham Allan's concept of the "modified elementary family" differ from Litwak's "modified extended family"?

Allan's concept of the "modified elementary family" focuses on the relationships between spouses, parents, children, and siblings, while excluding more distant relatives like uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and cousins. This is based on his observation that significant services may not be exchanged regularly among these more distant relatives, but a sense of obligation to maintain contact still exists within the elementary family.

What is the "dispersed extended family" as described by Peter Willmott?

A dispersed extended family consists of two or more related families who cooperate and maintain contact despite living at a distance from each other. While contact is less frequent than in traditional extended families, modern means of transportation and communication enable these families to stay connected. Each nuclear family within the dispersed extended family is only partially dependent on their extended kin, with kinship ties being valuable during emergencies.