ABSTRACT
While the family and its role continues to be a key topic in social and government policy, much of the literature is concerned with describing the dramatic changes that are taking place. By contrast, Analysing Families directly addresses the social processes responsible for these changes - how social policy interacts with what families actually do. Topics covered include:
* the relationship between morality and rationality in the family context
* the variety of contemporary family forms
* the purposes and assumptions of government interventions in family life
* the relationship between different welfare states and different ideas about motherhood
* 'Third Way' thinking on families
* divorce and post-divorce arrangements
* lone parenthood and step-parenting
* the decision to have children
* the economic approach to understanding family process
* the legitimacy of state intervention in family life.
With contributions from the UK, and North America, Analysing Families provides the framework within which to understand an increasingly important element in social policy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |2 pages
Part I Introduction
chapter 2|28 pages
A portrait of Western families: new models of intimate relationships and the timing of life events
part |2 pages
Part II Perspectives on family policy
chapter 3|26 pages
Political intervention and family policy in Britain
chapter 4|33 pages
Political intervention and family policy in Europe and the USA
chapter 6|16 pages
A third way? Moralities, ethics and families
part |2 pages
Part III Family practices
chapter 9|16 pages
Caring, earning and changing: parenthood and employment after divorce BREN NEALE AND C A RO L SMA RT
part |2 pages
Part IV Modelling families
chapter 13|17 pages
The ‘balance model’: theorising women’s employment behaviour JUDITH G L OV E R
part |2 pages
PART V Conclusion