Marriages and Families

Changes, Choices, and Constraints http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Marriages and Families offers students a comprehensive introduction to many issues facing families in the twenty- first century. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

The text's major theme "Changes, Choices, and Constraints" explores: http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Contemporary changes in families and their structure http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Impacts on the choices that are available to family members http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Constraints that often limit our choices http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Through this approach, students are better able to understand what the research and statistics mean for themselves! Marriages and Families balances theoretical and empirical discussions with practical examples and applications. It highlights important contemporary changes in society and the family. This text is written from a sociological perspective and incorporates material from other disciplines: history, economics, social work, psychology, law, biology, medicine, family studies, women's studies, and anthropology. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

More about the themes: http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Changes http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Examines how recent profound structural and attitudinal changes affect family forms, interpersonal relationships, and raising children. It reaches beyond the traditional discussions to explore racial-ethnic families, single-parent families and gay families as well as the recent scholarship by and about men, fathers, and grandfathers. Contemporary American marriages and families vary greatly in structure, dynamics, and cultural heritage. Thus, discussions of gender roles, social class, race, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation are integrated throughout this book. To further strengthen students understanding of the growing diversity among today's families, the author included a series of boxes that focus on families from many cultures. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Choices http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

On the individual level, family members have many more choices today than ever before. People feel freer to postpone marriage, to cohabit, or to raise children as single parents. As a result, household forms vary greatly, ranging from commuter marriages to those in which several generations live together under the same roof. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Constraints http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Although family members choices are more varied today, we also face greater macro- level constraints. Our options are increasingly limited, for example, by government policies. Economic changes often shape family life and not vice versa. Political and legal institutions also have a major impact on most families in tax laws, welfare reform, and even in defining what a family is. Because laws, public policies, and religious groups affect our everyday lives, the author has framed many discussions of individual choices within the larger picture of the institutional constraints that limit our choices. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

To learn more about the new edition, click here to visit the showcase site. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Table of Contents

IN THIS SECTION: 1.) BRIEF 2.) COMPREHENSIVE

BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS: http://www.dropshippers.co.za/

Part I Marriage and the Family in Perspective

• Chapter 1 The Changing Family
• Chapter 2 Studying the Family
• Chapter 3 The Family in Historical Perspective
• Chapter 4 Racial and Ethnic Families: Strengths and Stresses
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Part II The Individual and the Developing Relationship

• Chapter 5 Socialization and Gender Roles
• Chapter 6 Romance, Love, and Loving Relationships
• Chapter 7 Sexuality and Sexual Expression Throughout Life
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Part III Individual and Marital Commitments

• Chapter 8 Choosing Others: Dating and Mate Selection
• Chapter 9 Singlehood, Cohabitation, Civil Unions, and Other Options
• Chapter 10 Marriage and Communication in Intimate Relationships
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Part IV Parents and Children

• Chapter 11 To Be or Not to Be A Parent: More Choices, More Constraints
• Chapter 12 Raising Children: Promises and Pitfalls
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Part V Conflicts and Crises

• Chapter 13 Balancing Work and Family Life
• Chapter 14 Family Abuse, Violence, and Other Health Issues
• Chapter 15 Separation and Divorce
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Part VI Changes and Transitions

• Chapter 16 Remarriage and Stepfamilies
• Chapter 17 Families in Later Life
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COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 The Changing Family

• What Is a Family?
• How are Families Similar across Societies?
• How do Families Differ across Societies?
• Family Structure and Social Change
• Some Myths about the Family
• Family Values: Three Perspectives on the Changing Family
• Trends in Changing Families
• Why Are Families Changing?
• A Cross-Cultural and Global Perspective on the Family
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Chapter 2 Studying the Family

• Why Theories and Research are Important in Our Everyday Lives
• Theoretical Perspectives on Families
• Family Research Methods
• The Ethics and Politics of Family Research
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Chapter 3 The Family in Historical Perspective

• The Colonial Family
• Early American Families from Non-European Cultures
• Industrialization, Urbanization, and European Immigration: 1820 to 1930
• The Modern Family Emerges
• The Golden Fifties
• The Family since the 1960s
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Chapter 4 R

acial and Ethnic Families: Strengths and Stresses

• The Increasing Diversity of U.S. Families
• Race and Ethnicity Still Matter
• African American Families
• American Indian Families
• Latino Families
• Asian American Families
• Middle Eastern Families
• Interracial and Interethnic Relationships and Marriages
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Chapter 5 Socialization and Gender Roles

• Gender Myths about Female-Male Similarities and Differences
• The Nature-Nurture Debate: Is Anatomy Destiny?
• Why Do Gender Roles Differ?
• How Do We Learn Gender Roles?
• Traditional Views and Gender Roles
• Gender Roles in Adulthood
• A Global View: Variations in Gender Roles
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Chapter 6 Romance, Love, and Loving Relationships

• Loving and Liking
• What Is Love?
• Caring, Intimacy, and Commitment
• Some Theories about Love and Loving
• Functions of Love and Loving
• Experiencing Love
• When Love Goes Wrong
• How Couples Change: Romantic and Long-term Love
• A Global View of Love
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Chapter 7 Sexuality and Sexual Expression Throughout Life

• Sexuality and Human Development
• Why We Have Sex
• How We Learn about Sex
• Sexual Behaviors
• Sexuality Throughout Life
• Sexual Infidelity
• Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Sex
• Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV, and AIDS
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Chapter 8 Choosing Others: Dating and Mate Selection

• How Often Do We Date?
• Why Do We Date?
• The Dating Spectrum
• Meeting Others
• Choosing Whom We Date: Choices and Constraints
• Why We Choose Each Other: Theories of Mate Selection
• A Global View: Mate Selection across Cultures
• Harmful Dating Relationships: Power, Control, and Sexual Aggression
• Breaking Up
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Chapter

9 Singlehood, Cohabitation, Civil Unions, and Other Options

• The Single Option
• The Diversity of Singles
• Home Alone
• Why More People Are Single
• Racial and Ethnic Singles
• Cohabitation
• Gay and Lesbian Couples
• Communal Living Arrangements
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Chapter

10 Marriage and Communication in Intimate Relationships

• Why Do People Marry?
• What Do We Expect from Marriage?
• Types of Marriages
• Marital Success and Happiness
• How Does Marriage Affect Health?
• Marital Roles
• How Marriages Change throughout the Life Course
• Communication: A Key to Successful Relationships
• What Do Couples Fight About?
• Productive Communication Patterns
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Chapter

11 To Be or Not To Be a Parent: More Choices, More Constraints

• Becoming a Parent
• How Many Children Do You Want?
• Postponing Parenthood
• Infertility
• Adoption: The Traditional Solution to Infertility
• Medical and High-Tech Solutions to Infertility
• Abortion
• Childless by Choice
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Chapter

12 Raising Children: Promises and Pitfalls

• Contemporary Parenting Roles
• Some Theories of Child Development
• Parenting Variations by Ethnicity and Social Class
• Parenting Changes over the Life Course
• Parenting in Lesbian and Gay Families
• Parenting Styles and Discipline
• Child Care Arrangements
• Current Social Issues and Children’s Well-Being
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Chapter 13

Balancing Work and Family Life

• The Significance of Work
• Work in the Contemporary United States
• How the Economy Affects Families
• Women’s Participation in the Labor Force
• New Economic Roles within Marriage
• Two-Income Families
• Inequality in the Workplace
• Families and Work Policies
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Chapter 14

Family Abuse, Violence, and Other Health Issues

• Intimate Partner Abuse and Violence
• Child Maltreatment
• Hidden Victims: Siblings and Adolescents
• Elder Abuse and Neglect
• Violence among Same-Sex Couples and Racial-Ethnic Groups
• Explaining Family Abuse and Violence
• Other Family Health Issues
• Combating Family Abuse and Violence
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Chapter

15 Separation and Divorce

• Separation: Process and Outcome
• Trends in Divorce
• The Process of Divorce
• Why do People Divorce?
• How Divorce Affects Adults
• How Divorce Affects Children
• Some Positive Outcomes of Separation and Divorce
• Counseling, Marital Therapy, Divorce Mediation, and Collaborative Divorce
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Chapter 16 Remarriages and Stepfamilies

• Being Single Again: Dating and Cohabitation
• Being Single Again: Dating and Cohabitation
• Forming a Stepfamily
• Characteristics of Remarried Couples
• Remarriage as a Process
• How First Marriages and Remarriages Differ
• Couple Dynamics in Stepfamilies
• The Diversity and Complexity of Stepfamilies
• Living in a Stepfamily
• Successful Remarriages and Stepfamilies
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Chapter 17 Families in Later Life

• Our Aging Society
• Health and Ageism
• Work and Retirement
• Grandparenting
• Aging Parents, Adult Children, and Siblings
• Dying, Death, and Bereavement
• Being Widowed and Single in Later Life
• Family Caregiving in Later Life
• Competition for Scarce Resources
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