SOC261: Based on what you understand from the above news clippings and commentary articles, apply at least two sociological theories to analyse the changes and emerging trends in family forms and peoples’ attitudes towards marriage over the past 50 years. Sociology of Family assignment

Module / Subject / School:

SOC261 Sociology of Family

Singapore University of Social Sciences

Requirements: 

Question (100 marks)
This TMA is designed for you to apply sociological theories to explain recent trends in family changes in modern societies and to demonstrate your understanding of the research approaches and methods in conducting family research.

Read the following news clippings:

• Tham, Y.C. “Support for Section 377A drops as attitudes towards same-sex relationships shift, survey finds”, The Straits Times, 16 June 2022. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/support-for-section-377a-drops-asattitudes-to-same-sex-relationships-shift-survey-finds
• “No marriage please, say Japanese”, New Straits Times, 15 June 2022.
  https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2022/06/805140/no-marriage-please-sayjapanese
• Gan, N. “Chinese millennials aren’t getting married, and the government is worried”, Cable News Network, 30 January 2021.
  https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/29/china/china-millennials-marriage-intlhnk/index.html
• Mathews, M. “Commentary: On homosexuality and cohabitation – differences on moral issues need not lead to polarised society” Channel News Asia, 17 May 2019.
  https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/homosexuality-cohabitation-moralissues-in-singapore-society-879156

Perform the following tasks:
(1) Based on what you understand from the above news clippings and commentary articles, apply at least two sociological theories to analyse the changes and emerging trends in family forms and peoples’ attitudes towards marriage over the past 50 years. You should  also debate on the extent to which these changes could possibly become a threat to the family institution in future. You could draw examples from Singapore and other countries to explain how state policies may play a part in either curbing or navigating these emerging trends. [Note: You should write about 850 words for this part of your essay]

(2) Suggest a research plan to conduct a sociological study on Singaporeans’ perceptions of ‘marriage’ and ‘family’, as well as their attitudes towards alternatives to marriage, such as singlehood, cohabitation and same-sex relationships, etc. Your research proposal should include a brief description of your research objective(s) and research approach(s) [qualitative or quantitative design], research hypothesis (if any), sampling design [choice of sampling method and desired sample size] and the method(s) that you would use to collect your data. You should explain each of these research decisions clearly to show your understanding and appreciation of research methodologies in family sociology research.

In reviewing your research decisions, you should recognise the pros and cons of your chosen research approach, sampling design and data collection method(s), as opposed to other research approaches and methods. Also, discuss some of the problems that you may possibly encounter in your data collection process and how you would try to address these possible difficulties and challenges. [Note: You should write about 350 words for this part of your essay]

Question (100 marks)
Read the following news clippings:

• Awang, N. & Low Y.J. (2022) “Woman Up: From housework to keeping track of children’s schedules, why is it still a woman’s job to run a household?”, Today, 4 July 2022. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/woman-housework-keeping-trackchildrens-schedules-why-it-still-womans-job-run-household-1915821
• Youn, S. (2022) “When moms out-earn their husbands, they gain more housework, study says”, The Washington Post. 2 May 2022.
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/05/02/housework-divide-workingparents/
• Awang, N. & Lim, J. (2022) “The Big Read: Gender equality in S’pore remains elusive amid entrenched attitudes about women’s roles”, Today, 3 October 2020 https://www.todayonline.com/big-read/big-read-gender-equality-spore-remainselusive-amid-entrenched-attitudes-about-womens-roles
• Leah, R. (2018) “Commentary: Are women still expected to do most of the housework?”, ChannelNews Asia, 14 August 2018. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/gender-equality-women-stillexpected-to-do-housework-chores-802061

Apply relevant sociological theories to explain why “women are still expected to do most of the housework”. Examine how this unequal distribution of domestic tasks along the gender line can have implications on the dynamics of family relationships (e.g. marital relationships, and
family stress) and the differential availability of opportunities and social resources to family members. You should also discuss possible future trends in housework sharing.

Do remember to provide empirical evidence or examples from reliable published sources to support your arguments.

What we score:

73%

Our Writer’s Comment 

This assignment tests students on their understanding of the sociological theories.

Based on the assignment requirements provided, here are some comments to help students score well on this assignment:

Question (100 marks): In this assignment, you will apply sociological theories to analyze recent trends in family changes in modern societies. You will also demonstrate your understanding of research approaches and methods in family research.

(1) Analyzing Changes and Emerging Trends in Family Forms: Based on the provided news clippings and commentary articles, apply at least two sociological theories to analyze the changes and emerging trends in family forms and people’s attitudes towards marriage over the past 50 years. Consider the extent to which these changes could potentially become a threat to the family institution in the future. Draw examples from Singapore and other countries to explain how state policies may play a role in either curbing or navigating these emerging trends. Support your analysis with empirical evidence and examples from reliable sources. Write about 850 words for this part of your essay to ensure a comprehensive analysis.

(2) Research Plan for a Sociological Study: Suggest a research plan to conduct a sociological study on Singaporeans’ perceptions of ‘marriage’ and ‘family,’ as well as their attitudes towards alternatives such as singlehood, cohabitation, and same-sex relationships. Your research proposal should include a clear research objective, choice of research approach (qualitative or quantitative design), research hypothesis (if any), sampling design (choice of sampling method and desired sample size), and data collection methods. Explain each research decision thoroughly to demonstrate your understanding of research methodologies in family sociology research.

When reviewing your research decisions, acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen research approach, sampling design, and data collection methods compared to other alternatives. Discuss potential problems you may encounter during the data collection process and propose strategies to address these difficulties and challenges. Write about 350 words for this part of your essay to provide a concise but comprehensive research plan.

Ensure that you support your arguments with empirical evidence and examples from reliable published sources to strengthen your analysis and demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic.

By applying relevant sociological theories, providing empirical evidence, and utilizing reliable sources, you can increase your chances of scoring well on this assignment.

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