Understanding Family Meanings
A Reflective Text
Distributed for Policy Press at the University of Bristol
296 pages
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6 3/4 x 9 1/2
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© 2008, 2012
A familiar, yet contentious topic, the subject of family can present difficulties in the classroom, on levels ranging from personal to political and social. Understanding Family Meanings attacks this dilemma head-on, focusing on family meanings in diverse contexts to enhance our understanding of everyday social lives. Ranging over such issues as power, inequality, and values, this instructive text serves as an ideal introduction to family studies as it explores the shifting and subtle ways individuals, researchers, policymakers, and professionals make sense of the idea of family.
Bahira Sherif Trask, University of Delaware
“Understanding Family Meanings inspires the reader to reflect on the fluid and dynamic nature of contemporary families. It is an important new contribution to the literature as it highlights the multiplicity of meanings associated with families depending on context.”
Jaber F. Gubrium, University of Missouri
“A compelling and accessible book, Understanding Family Meanings combines conceptual sophistication with intriguing examples and helpful exercises. Highly recommended, it will be of interest to undergraduate sociology and family studies students in general.”
Contents
1. Why family meanings?
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
Part 1: Research
Introduction to Part 1
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
2. Family meanings in contemporary contexts
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
3. Teasing threads apart
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
4. Understanding 'family' and household through quantitative evidence
Megan Doolittle
Part 2: Theories and concepts
Introduction to Part 2
Shelley Day Sclater
5. Family discourses and family practices
Shelley Day Sclater
6. Intimacy and personal life
Shelley Day Sclater
Part 3: Contexts
Introduction to Part 3
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
7. Family meanings across time and place
Jane Ribbens McCarthy and Megan Doolittle
8. Family meanings in social policies and professional practices
Megan Doolittle
Conclusions
9. Family meanings, family values
Shelley Day Sclater, Megan Doolittle and Jane Ribbens McCarthy
Acknowledgements
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
Part 1: Research
Introduction to Part 1
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
2. Family meanings in contemporary contexts
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
3. Teasing threads apart
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
4. Understanding 'family' and household through quantitative evidence
Megan Doolittle
Part 2: Theories and concepts
Introduction to Part 2
Shelley Day Sclater
5. Family discourses and family practices
Shelley Day Sclater
6. Intimacy and personal life
Shelley Day Sclater
Part 3: Contexts
Introduction to Part 3
Jane Ribbens McCarthy
7. Family meanings across time and place
Jane Ribbens McCarthy and Megan Doolittle
8. Family meanings in social policies and professional practices
Megan Doolittle
Conclusions
9. Family meanings, family values
Shelley Day Sclater, Megan Doolittle and Jane Ribbens McCarthy
Acknowledgements
For more information, or to order this book, please visit http://www.press.uchicago.edu
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Sociology: Individual, State and Society
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