A familiar, yet contentious topic, the subject of family can present difficulties in the classroom, on levels ranging from personal to political and social. "Understanding Family Meanings" attacks this dilemma head-on, focusing on family meanings in diverse contexts to enhance our understanding of everyday social lives. Ranging over such issues as power, inequality, and values, this instructive text serves as an ideal introduction to family studies as it explores the shifting and subtle ways individuals, researchers, policymakers, and professionals make sense of the idea of family.