Tagged: Family

Opinion / Political & Economic Sociology / Social Welfare / Sociology of the Family

The larger, the poorer, the more penalized families: an Italian perspective

In Italy, as in most other advanced economies, large families are much less common than in the past. But does this mean that their needs should not be specifically considered by social policy? This question is at the heart of an article we recently published on the International Journal of Social Welfare titled “The large family penalty in Italy: Poverty and eligibility to minimum incomes”. This blog article has the aim of delivering its main results to the broader public....

Opinion / Social Psychology & Lifecourse / Social Welfare / Sociology of Children / Sociology of the Family

Growing up in the shadow of domestic violence: impacts upon children & cost to society

When domestic violence takes place in families with children, it is not just the abused mum or dad who is a victim. The children are also victims and the consequences for them can be severe. In 2017, the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that worldwide, one in four children under age 5 (176 million) live with a mother who is a victim of domestic violence. Because of this widespread occurrence and the profound impact it has on both its survivors...

Opinion / Sociology of Children / Sociology of the Family

‘Doing family’ in adversity: exploring children’s and families’ experiences of alternative care in Thailand.

Family is a fundamental social institution that plays a vital role in shaping individuals’ identities, relationships, and well-being. Traditionally, the concept of family has been associated with blood ties and shared genetic heritage. However, the understanding of family has evolved over time, acknowledging the diverse forms and dynamics that exist within it. A key sociological concept that challenges conventional definitions or models of family is the idea of “doing family.” “Doing family” refers to the actions, behaviours, and relationships that...

Gender & Sexuality / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Sociology Compass Issues / Sociology of Organizations & Work

Breadwinning Mothers and the Importance of Intersectional Thinking

It is hard to imagine that only several decades ago, many women in the United States did not work outside the home. If they did work, their income was a supplement to the household, not the primary share. In fact, in 1960, census reports found that mothers were the primary breadwinner in only 11% of households. A new Pew Research Center study shows us how much times have changed. Not only are women working and making more money than ever...

Gender & Sexuality

Leaning In and Working Together: The Leanin.org "Circles" Initiative

Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, has created quite the buzz in the media, drawing accolades and criticism from widespread analysts, academics, feminists, business people, journalists, etc. Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, contends that the norms of femininity prevent women from gaining success in the workplace. While insufficient work and family policies are obstacles for women, one major, often overlooked, barrier is the rigid boundaries of masculinity and femininity, which hinder men’s participation in...

Feminist Theory / Gender & Sexuality / Sociology of Culture

Women’s Intimate Friendships, Forging Feminist Kinship

A recent article in Marie Claire magazine caught my eye. The title asks, “Are girlfriends the new husbands?” As the article explains, young adult women are increasingly turning to best friends for the kind of support that one might expect only from a romantic partner. As they choose to remain single later into life, women’s best friends become intimate partners (though not sexual ones). Cohabitation, “family” vacations, even some type of co-parenting between best friends is becoming more common. I...

Feminist Theory / Gender & Sexuality / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Organizations & Work / Sociology of the Family

Feminism, Family, and Work

This week, Stephanie Coontz contributed an opinion piece to the New York Times in honor of the 50th anniversary of Betty Friedan’s, The Feminine Mystique. Coontz’s article, entitled “Why Gender Equality Stalled,” explores some of the structural and economic reasons hindering equality between men and women. The attitudes and beliefs of individuals are not to blame for the stalled gender revolution; instead, Coontz points to a failing economy and inadequate work-family policies as the major obstacles to gender equality. Coontz...

Sociology of Culture

Thinking About Domestic Partnerships

I left my home state of Florida for some very personal reasons: racism and nativism, extremist right wing politicians, fiscal conservatism (and the failing school and social systems it produces) – not to mention vigilante justice (thanks to the stand your ground laws) and face-eating druggies. When people ask about where I grew up, I’m not proud to answer. But this summer, it got just a tiny bit better. Florida, ever a bastion of political, religious, and moral conservatism, a...

Science & Technology / Sociology of Media & Communication / Sociology of Organizations & Work

U.S. Military Suicide Rate: A Durkheimian, Rather Than Psychological, Perspective

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpFSyLHBdKg] by NickieWild Recently, various cable and national news outlets reported that U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend had “ordered” soldiers under his command at the base at Ft. Campbell, KY to not commit suicide. While this makes an attention-grabbing headline, it was more of an exhortation than a command. Nevertheless, the U.S. military has been criticized for years about the way it has been handling the skyrocketing military suicide rate, which, by some measures, has now surpassed the...

Race & Ethnicity Studies / Social Psychology & Lifecourse / Sociology of Culture

(Untold) Storytelling

by theoryforthemasses Immigrants’ stories of sacrifice and (re)settlement are often overshadowed by statistics about demographics like educational attainment, income, and family size; the stories themselves remain untold. A recent New York Times article explores the impact of these stories on the children of immigrant families. Each year sociologist and Hunter College professor Nancy Foner teaches a class entitled “The Peopling of New York” wherein she asks students to interview a close relative about recent family history. Given that many of...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Media & Communication / Sociology of Organizations & Work

The Rise of the Commuter Marriage

by theoryforthemasses The nuclear family is often understood in terms of propinquity, or the physical nearness of parents and their children to one another. While it is typical for extended families to live apart from one another, we generally assume that married couples and their children live together.  In coping with a challenging economy, however, many couples are being forced to reevaluate their responsibilities and priorities in unexpected ways. One manifestation of this is the rise of “commuter marriages” wherein...