Marriages And Families In The 21st Century

Marriages and Families in the 21st Century puts contemporary relationships and family structures in context for today’s students. Using a bioecological framework, the book reveals how families are shaped by multiple influences, from biological to cultural, that interact with one another. Chapters cover topics from parenting to gender issues within an interdisciplinary context, weaving in stories, visuals, and examples of diverse families to dispel longstanding myths. The book creates a personalized learning experience with frequent self-assessments and strengths exercises, while ensuring that students come to understand the research and build scientific analysis and critical thinking skills along the way. Robust digital tools and resources including SAGE edge and an interactive eBook with SAGE Premium Video help readers develop a multi-layered understanding of "what makes families tick" while challenging them to re-evaluate their own assumptions and experiences.

Marriages and Families in the 21st Century provides an in-depth exploration of a traditional field of study using a new and engaging approach. The text covers all the important issues—including parenting, divorce, aging families, balancing work and family, family violence, and gender issues—using a bioecological framework that takes into account our status as both biological and social beings. Using this lens, which emphasizes the individual's interactions with a series of larger systemic influences—from family, peers, neighbors and teachers, to schools, media, institutions and culture—the book creates a cohesive overview of modern family life and helps students visualize the complex influences affecting all people in families. It also examines the state of modern families using a strengths-based approach, which allows students to evaluate the health and functioning of a family considering the biological and cultural milieu in which it exists, rather than on its observable structure or appearance alone. Individual chapters cover historical and cultural trends and also explore the biological, personal, and social forces that shape individuals and families. Each chapter investigates the wide diversity of human relationships and integrates discussions of ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender seamlessly into the main narrative. In addition, the book explores recent research in neuroscience, medicine, and biopsychology to examine how family relationships are shaped by and also influence individuals' biological functioning. An accessible writing style coupled with numerous student-friendly pedagogical features help readers come to a multi-layered understanding of "what makes families tick," while also challenging them to reevaluate their own assumptions and experiences. Key features: Uses a bioecological model that takes into account our status as both biological and social beings Employs a strengths-based approach that focuses on family processes rather than structure in evaluating families' optimal health and happiness Incorporates discussion of neuroscience, medicine, and biopsychological research throughout Explores a wide diversity of family relationships, integrating issues of ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender Focus on my Family boxes profile real families who wrote essays in their own words about their diverse experiences How Would You Measure That? sections emphasize students' critical thinking and analysis of research design and conclusions Helps students analyze their own families' strengths and attempt to build on those through psychometrically sound self-assessments and Building Your Strengths exercises Engaging and accessible writing style incorporates contemporary, real-world examples with important theory and research Instructor’s manual, test bank, PowerPoint lecture slides, and useful web links, as well as Student flash cards and self-test questions, available upon publication at www.wiley.com/go/howe

The family has been a fundamental social institution throughout the history of mankind. But in recent decades it seemed to be eroding on virtually all fronts: fewer marriages and children and also far greater instability. But quite unexpectedly, the family seems now to be on the rebound. In some societies, the reversal is very clear: the number of children citizens have is approaching the number that they actually desire, the propensity to marry is rising, and partnerships are becoming more stable.The return-to-family trend is very much driven by the well-educated, and less stable partnerships are increasingly concentrated among the less educated. There are indeed strong indications that the world of families is becoming ever more polarized.How can we explain the (uneven) turnaround? This book presents a new theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of contemporary family life. The key lies in how and to what extent both partnerships and society at large manage to adapt successfully to the altered economic role of women. The analyses which follow demonstrate that the more successful is the adaptation, the more we shall see a return to stronger and more stable families. And this will in turn have positive effects for childrens life chances and social mobility prospects. --

Choose from more than 200 great ideas that strengthen marriages! Marriage Ministry in the 21st Century is your one-stop resource for building a marriage ministry--and getting couples connecting at your church, enjoying a fresh spark, and growing together in Jesus. # Tons of powerful guidance and ideas to build marriages in your church, including: Ideas for ministering to engaged couples, newlyweds, and couples going through rocky times. # Couples' nights out (and nights in), movie nights, marriage getaways, and spiritual retreats. # Marriage mentoring insights and how to find potential marriage mentors in your church! # Family-building ideas for families with teenagers, discipline helps, faith building, and relationship building. Information on the skills and disciplines of biblical counseling. # Connecting couples through outreach, service, and small groups! # Counseling tips & encouragement for remarried couples and blended families. # Top-notch stress busters, plus ways for couples to build self-esteem and grow together in unity. # And more!

This textbook introduces students to the study of marriage and the family in ways they can easily relate to. The text gives equal and balanced attention to people of all racial, ethnic, and other societal groups, and treats a variety of lifestyles with equal attention. The author focuses on the way families are changing, and acknowledges the constraints that families face today.

This textbook introduces students to the study of marriage and the family in ways to which they can easily relate. Giving equal attention to people of all racial, ethnic, and other societal groups, the author shows students that as families continue to change, they have more and more choices, but that those choices are also subject to often serious constraints on both the macro and micro level. The author's approach encourages students to think for themselves, and practical guidelines in every chapter encourage them to go beyond thought to action - to become part of the effort to resolve some of the crucial issues that confront all 21st-century families.