About the Author Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1- Introduction Family Change, Family Continuity Family Diversity and Inequality Sociological Perspective on Families Applying the Sociological Perspective: The Standard North American Family and the Ideology of Separate Spheres Understanding Contemporary Families A Demographic Snapshot of the U.S. Population Looking Ahead Main Ideas Chapter 2- Defining Family Defining Family: Four Approaches 1. Family as Structure 2. Family as Household 3. Family Roles 4. Family as Interaction: Doing Family Defining Family: A Summary How Americans Define Family Extended Families Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Defining Families Main Ideas Chapter 3- Sociological Methods and Theories in the Study of Families Scientific Method Micro and Macro Approaches to Studying Families Research Methods Theoretical Frameworks in the Sociology of Families Structural-Functionalism Conflict Theory Symbolic Interactionism Feminist Theories Social Exchange Theory Life Course Theory Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Family Methods and Theories Main Ideas Chapter 4- Young Adults and the Transition to Adulthood Defining the Transition to Adulthood Transition to Adulthood in Historical Context Transition to Adulthood in the Early 21st Century Economic Uncertainty and Higher Education Changing Patterns of Family Formation Changing Relationships With Parents Young Adult Sexuality and Romantic Partnerships Dating in Historical Context Decline of Dating and the Rise of Hookup Culture Sexual Debut Hooking Up Change, Continuity, and Diversity in the Transition to Adulthood Main Ideas Chapter 5- Marriage and Cohabitation Marriage and Divorce in Historical Context Institutional Marriage Companionate Marriage Individualized Marriage Contemporary Coupling Cohabitation Nonmarital Fertility Same-Sex Marriage Marriage Markets Marriage, Cohabitation, and Education Marriage, Cohabitation, and Race-Ethnicity Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Marriage and Cohabitation Main Ideas Chapter 6- Divorce and Relationship Dissolution Rising-and Declining-Divorce Demography of Divorce The Process of Uncoupling Legal Divorce Parental Divorce Financial Divorce Emotional and Social Divorce Relationship Dissolution and Children Relationship Dissolution Among Unmarried Parents Supporting Children When Parents Break Up Economic Support Reducing Conflict Effective Parenting Relationships With Fathers Fewer Transitions Remarriage and Blended Families Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Divorce and Relationship Dissolution Main Ideas Chapter 7- Parents and Children Children and Parents in Historical Context Childhood: Economically Useful to Emotionally Priceless Fatherhood: Moral Overseer to Breadwinner Motherhood: Productivity to Domesticity Issues in Contemporary Childrearing Demographic Patterns in Fertility Time With Children Parenting as a Gendered Practice Parenting Ideologies and Social Class Immigrant and Transnational Parenting Gay and Lesbian Parenting Opting Out of Parenthood Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Parenting and Childhood Main Ideas Chapter 8- Family Work Ideology of Separate Spheres Defining Care Work Empirical Patterns of Employment, Housework, and Childcare Women's Employment Before 1950 Women's and Men's Employment Since 1950 Housework Macro-Level Perspectives on Housework Childcare Work-Family Conflict and Social Policy Change, Continuity, and Diversity in Family Work Main Ideas Chapter 9- Family Lives of Older Adults Defining Old Age Demographic Context Romantic Relationships Among Older Adults Grandparenting Grandparents as Caregivers Intergenerational Solidarity and Ambivalence Intergenerational Exchanges Parents Helping Adult Children Adult Children Helping Parents Ambivalence, Individualism, and Intergenerational Support Family Complexity and Aging Families Change, Continuity, and Diversity in the Family Lives of Older Adults Main Ideas Chapter 10- Social Policy and the Future of Families Defining Family Family Change Family Continuity Family Diversity, Inequality, and Social Policy Housing Policy and Family Inequality State Welfare Policy and Family Inequality Future of American Families Economic Inequality and the Growing Class Divide in Families Immigration, Race-Ethnicity, and Family Ties Unfinished Revolution in Gender and Sexuality Change, Continuity, and Diversity in American Families Main Ideas Glossary References Index
