Summary:
Chapter 13 discusses the roles of family life and work, and how the two contribute to each other. To start, there have been many factors, such as globalization and deindustrialization, that have affected the work and labor of families. Along with globalization and deindustrialization, the role of class and socioeconomic status also the jobs that members of a family can have. This role of economics might only offer undesirable jobs to families, such as part-time and minimum wage job, which can affect the dynamic of the family. Although there can be benefits from unemployment (government money), unemployment often leads to poverty, affecting mostly minorities, children, and women. Obviously as we have discussed in class many times, women’s role and participation in the work force has increased over the last century. The work place itself can also affect the dynamic of a family, with issues of inequality and discrimination being present at the work place; this tension can be brought back to the home by a family member that suffers from these unfair acts. There is a gap in payroll between men and women in the work force, and some progress is being made to even out this disproportion. There are many personal factors present at the work place that is positive for family interaction, such as “bring-your-kid-to-work day” and telecommunicating. Another factor that is increasing with popularity is paternity, which is paid “leave time” for a new father from his job to spend time with his newly born baby.
New Material Learned:
Before reading this chapter, I was unaware of the exact term of “commuter-marriage,” which is when married partners work and live in different geographical areas and spend some time with each other on weekends.
Questions:
What else in the economy affects families besides low-wage jobs, nonstandard work hours, part-time work, unemployment, homelessness, and poverty?
Education is a big problem in society. Without people getting higher education the cycle can and continue within that family.
ReplyDeleteThe book mentions that "offshoring" as impacting families by impacting employment; but not only does it hurt those people that lose their jobs, it in general hurts everybody because the money does not remain in America ... it follows with the jobs to other countries.
ReplyDeleteI would add that perhaps the largest impact of the economy on families, one that has been completely overlooked by the chapter, is that it is a capitalist mixed economy. That means that it encourages productivity, competition, and hard work. Anyone in this economy can work to become wealthy. The result is an emphasis on working, education, and proper upbringing to the end of becoming wealthy. (This is responsible for the stigma of liberal arts and humanities majors).
I agree with you Nelson. Looking at other concepts and ideas that are covered in other sociology classes is useful in looking at issues that the economy poses. The book overlooks a lot of ideas about marriage and the family in general.
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