Family Crisis Theory vs. Family Progress Theory: Two Perspectives on Family Change and Writing My Own

Family crisis theory and family progress theory are two positions that interpret family changes differently, such as increasing divorce, increasing single-parent and single-person households, and decreasing fertility rates. Family crisis theory sees this change as a crisis that weakens traditional family functions, and family progress theory sees it as a natural and sometimes positive change that occurred as the social and economic structure changed.

In family welfare theory and family sociology thesis assignments, the question 'summarize two positions and state your views' was frequently asked, so I summarized how to compare and write views.

What does family crisis theory claim?

Family crisis theory views the family as the basic unit that supports society, and I worry that if functions such as marriage, childbirth, and raising children are weakened, the whole society will be shaken. Causes of change often include excessive individualism, self-interested values, and a weakened sense of family responsibility. That's why we tend to look for alternatives that restore traditional family values and encourage marriage and childbirth.

This position is meaningful in that it takes seriously the gap created when the family's care and emotional support are reduced.

How do we view family progressives differently?

Family Progress Theory believes that the form and function of the family have changed throughout history, and the current changes are interpreted as a result of changes in the industrial structure, employment insecurity, and patriarchal order. I see divorce or unmarriage not as an individual's selfishness, but as a result of the choice to move out of an unequal relationship or as a result of economic conditions, and I think that families that are not typical, such as single-parent families, single-person households, and multicultural families should be recognized as one form of family.

This position is characterized by the fact that it focuses more on how well society supports the changed family than on the change itself.

발표 자료는 한 장에 한 메시지만 담으니까 듣는 사람이 훨씬 잘 따라오더라고요. 마지막 장에 핵심 한 문장을 다시 보여 주는 방식이 저한테는 도움이 됐어요.

How do I summarize the difference between the two positions?

The two positions diverge from whether the cause of family change is found in personal values or social structures, whether it is seen as a crisis to prevent change, whether it is seen as diversity to support, whether it is placed in the recovery of traditional families, or whether it is placed in the support of diverse families. If you summarize the causes, evaluations, and policy directions in a table, you can see the differences at a glance. You can also check out the Family Resilience Wiki article for a perspective on the power of families to adapt and recover.

How do I write my opinion?

Before you decide on a point of view, it's helpful to summarize how the two perspectives interpret the same metrics differently. For example, the decline in the number of marriages can be read as a consequence of the crisis theory of family avoidance and the progressive theory of economic conditions that make marriage difficult. When you show the difference in interpretation first, it's easy for the reader to see why your view is persuasive.

When writing a comment, first clarify which position you are closer to and support two or three reasons why. As a rationale, you should write official statistics, policy reports, and reliable articles like the Bureau of Statistics, and include the year of the investigation. Then, if you accept the valid part of the opposite position, it becomes a balanced article. Finally, the conclusion is strengthened by proposing policy alternatives that the state and society can do, such as childcare support, work-family compatibility, and socialization of care. In the context of industrialization and social change, it is good to refer to the method of constructing views and grounds in the family welfare thesis assignment, which is a four-page comparative data on campus-based family crisis theory and progress theory that argued for the role of the state by finding the causes of low fertility and divorce in gender division, childcare, and lack of social safety net. Give an example of a change in your experience or the family around you.