| Description |
xxix, 540 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Contents |
pt. I. Private Experiences and Public Issues. Issue 1. What Is a Family? Definitions of Family. Blood Families and Chosen Families. The Controversy over Gay Families. The Symbolism of Family. Issue 2. How Accurate Are Popular Images of American Families? Media and Families. Historical Ideas about Families. Issue 3. How Private Should Family Life Be? The Ideal of Family Privacy. The Paradox of Privacy. Parents and Children. Variations in Family Privacy. Issue 4. How Should Individual Rights and Family Obligations Be Balanced? Rights and Responsibilities. Culture and Family Obligation. Gender and Family Obligation. Costs, Benefits, and Family Decisions. Family Obligation and Social Policy. A Balance of Individualism and Family Obligation. Issue 5. How Do Gender and Power Influence Family Life? Power in Families. Sex, Gender, and Power. Sources and Marital Power. The Consequences of Power. Changing Family Power Relations. Issue 6. How Do Race, Ethnicity, and Racism Affect Family Life? Racial and Ethnic Identity. African-American Families. Asian-American Families. Hispanic Families. Issue 7. How Do Wealth and Poverty Determine Family Experiences? Class Stratification. Poverty and Family Life. Issue 8. Is the Institution of Family Breaking Down -- and Society with It? The Family Decline Perspective. The Family Transformation Perspective. Examining Cross-Cultural Evidence of Family Decline -- pt. II. Sociological Dimensions of Family Life. Ch. 1. The Link Between Family Life and Social Science -- Windows on Family: Family Matters: A Sociological Quiz. Everyday Research. Theory and Research. The Modes of Research. The Trustworthiness of Family Research. Family Privacy and Research Ethics -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Households versus Families. Ch. 2. Intimate Relationships: Love, Sex, and Attraction -- Windows on Family: Do You Think I'm Sexy? The Cultural Context of Intimacy -- Dating and Courtship. The Influence of Social Structure in Mate Selection. Social Theories of Intimate Relationships -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Trends in Marriage. Ch. 3. Gender, Marriage, and Work -- Windows on Family: Colliding Spheres. The Transition to Married Life. Two Worlds: Work and Family. Dual-Earner Families. The Domestic Division of Labor -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Patterns of Labor Force Participation for Women and Men. Ch. 4. Parenthood and Parenting -- Windows on Family: Familiarizing Father. Pronatalism. The Process of Becoming Parents. Gender and Parenthood -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Trends in Motherhood. Ch. 5. Childhood and Child Rearing -- Windows on Family: Free to Be You and Me? The Historical Construction of Childhood. Adolescence. The Social Complexities of Child Rearing. The Issue of Child Care -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Effects of Race and Ethnicity on Child Rearing Practices. Ch. 6. Intimate Violence -- Windows on Family: Signs of Violence. The Roots of Intimate Violence in the United States. Violence in Dating Relationships. Violence Between Spouses. Child Abuse -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Child Abuse and Maltreatment. Ch. 7. Divorce and Remarriage -- Windows on Family: Children of Divorce. Divorce in Cultural Context. Divorce American Style. Uncoupling. Divorce and Children. Remarriage and Stepfamilies -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Trends in Divorce and Remarriage. Ch. 8. Family Transitions in Adulthood -- Windows on Family: Generations of Family Across Time. The Influence of Birth Cohorts. The Transitions of Adulthood. Old Age. Death and Families -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Family Transitions and Living Arrangements. Ch. 9. Changing American Families -- Windows on Family: What Will This Family Be Like? Social Change. Future Family Trends. Family Policy -- Demo-Graphic Essay: Families in the Twenty-First Century. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [495]-526) and index. |
| Subject |
Families -- United States.
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Families -- United States -- Public opinion.
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Social problems -- United States.
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Public opinion -- United States.
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United States -- Social conditions.
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| Added Author |
Kowalski, Shelley.
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Grigsby, Jill.
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| ISBN |
076198514X (cloth : acid-free paper) |
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