A Case Study in the Use of Genograms to Assess Family Dysfunction and Social Class: To the Manor Born Versus Shameless

Abstract

Families conduct their affairs through processes that are built upon those of previous generations and also social capacities such as culture, class, oppression and poverty. The media has played a part in stereotyping the lower classes through their portrayal on the television programmes such as Benefits Street and Jeremy Kyle and tabloid newspaper stories. This chapter is a case study of two families who are at the opposing ends of the social scale, the Horrobin/Carter and Aldridge families. The two families were chosen due to them being linked by marriage in the younger generation. Through the use of genograms, we explore how the families differ in their attitudes towards relationships within their individual families, and also how they relate to each other as separate family groups. Despite the many differences, there are also a number of key similarities, particularly regarding the key females in the families, in terms of family background and snobbery. We also show that there is little family loyalty in the more privileged family and a power differential between the two families (oppressors vs. oppressed) in terms of the crimes committed.

Citation

Gillies, L. and Burrows, H.M. (2017), "A Case Study in the Use of Genograms to Assess Family Dysfunction and Social Class: To the Manor Born Versus Shameless", Courage, C. and Headlam, N. (Ed.) Custard, Culverts and Cake, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 167-189. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78743-285-720171019