Key Concepts in Family Studies

The Sage Key Concepts series provides students with accessible and authoritative knowledge of the essential topics in a variety of disciplines. Cross-referenced throughout, the format encourages critical evaluation through understanding. Written by experienced and respected academics, the books are indispensable study aids and guides to comprehension.

`Key Concepts in Family Studies is written in an intelligent, engaging, and accessible manner by two leading and highly respected family scholars whose contributions to the field over the past two decades have been path-breaking. This is an important resource for students and professionals studying, and working in, the field of family studies within and across the disciplines of sociology, social policy, social work, health studies, education, and gender studies. Andrea Doucet, Professor of Sociology, Carleton University, Canada

`In each of the forty-eight short essays, the reader will find a theoretically informed and cross-referenced guide to the major themes that have constituted this highly significant area of the social sciences. Students and researchers will want to have this book close to hand, not simply as a reference work but as a stimulus to critical social analysis.' David H J Morgan, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Manchester, UK

This book's individual entries introduce, explain and contextuarse key topics within the study of family lives. Definitions, summaries and key words are developed throughout with careful cross-referencing allowing students to move effortlessly between core ideas and themes.

Relevant, focused and accessible, this book will provide students with an indispensible guide to the central concepts of family studies.

Jane Ribbens McCarthy is Reader in Family Studies in the Department of Social Policy and Criminology at the Open University. Rosalind Edwards is Professor in Sociology at the University of Southampton.