This book looks at this classical sociologist's work on the family. Durkheim's writings in this area are little known, but the family was nevertheless one of his primary interests. It brings together Durkheim's ideas on the family from diverse sources and presents his family and sociology systematically and comprehensively. Chapter topics include: * Durkheim's life and times * his evolutionary theory of the family * methodologies for studying the family * the changing relationship of kin * conjugal family and the state * the interior of the family * family policy * gender * sexuality His work...

This best-selling text on marriages, families, and relationships combines an authoritative, yet applied approach with a theme that is especially relevant today: making choices in a diverse society. A balance of various theoretical perspectives along with many examples helps you understand how people are influenced by the society around them, how social conditions change in ways that affect family life, the interplay between families and the larger society, and the family-related choices that individuals make throughout adulthood. You'll gain insightful perspectives on the diversity of our...