Changes in American families

The debate surrounding the contemporary changes in American families was discussed in three articles that I read. The first article by David Popenoe introduces the idea of change in American families and states, “it is argued that families have lost functions, power, and authority, that familism as a cultural value has diminished, and that people have become less willing to invest time, money, and energy in family life, turning instead to investments in themselves (pg.527).” Popenoe see the family as an “institution in decline and believe that this should be a cause for alarm – especially as regards the consequences for children (pg.527).” Popenoe indicates that trends such as rising divorce and families having less children are key elements that are causing change. The fact that families are now having less children have been a cause for study for many people. Also, the idea that marriage is being put off and that men and women are getting married later and with divorce rates on the high, Popenoe sees this are a point of concern.
Stacy takes a different approach than Popenoe. Stacy states that Popenoe and herself agree that ‘the family’ is in decline but hold different ideas as to why. Stacy believes that Popenoe “struggles, with little consistency or success, to expand the conventional structural-functional definition of the nuclear family to accommodate critiques made by feminists and gay liberationists of the gender and sexual oppression in that family form (pg.545).” Stacy in contrast believes that there is no positivist definition of the family. She goes onto say that Popenoe has three systematic errors. The first being his “latter-day coda of tired ‘loss of family functions’ lament rests upon a flawed history and anthropology of kinship (pg.546).” Stacy feels it is anthropologically incorrect. Second, Stacy states Popenoe’s more proximate historical framework is equally flawed. Third, Stacy believes Popenoe offers an incomplete assessment of different views. However, Stacy does agree with Popenoe that women’s ability to ‘survive’ outside marriage have been a key factor.
Philip Cowan agrees with Popenoe that there should be concern. Cowan states, “I believe that he could make an even stronger case for concern if he ventured beyond his focus on the family as in institution and examined in more detail the widespread incidence of violence, drug abuse, mental illness, general emotional dysregulation and loneliness that constitute the daily lives of too many adults and children in contemporary American families (pg.548).” Cowan agrees with other critics by saying Popenoe’s arguments were awry but overall believes in his point.
I disagree with Popenoe’s argument that the family is in decline. I believe today families have more pride and unity and although they are structurally different and the term family now is broader and accepted, society uses families as its core. Yes, divorce may be on the incline and men and women are waiting to get married but I believe this does not necessary mean family is on the decline. If anything, I argue that it is expanding families because more and more divorces men and women are getting re-married and starting ‘new’ families, hence, expanding what they have already started. The family has changed with the times. Society is now a lot more fast paced and more complicated than in the 1940’s and 1950’s and it is important to realize and understand all of the changes that have occurred between then and now. The family is not on the decline, it just needs to be reaccepted because times have and still are changing.