"This is a thoughtful and sometimes challenging elaboration of some of the key concepts in contemporary family studies... Students and researchers will want to have this book close to hand, not simply as a reference work but as a stimulus to critical social analysis." David H J Morgan, University of Manchester"Written in an intelligent, engaging, and accessible manner by two leading and highly respected family scholars whose contributions to the field over the past two decades have been path-breaking. This is an important resource for students and professionals studying, and working in, the field of family studies within and across the disciplines of sociology, social policy, social work, health studies, education, and gender studies." Andrea Doucet, Carleton UniversityThis book's individual entries introduce, explain and contextualise key topics within the study of family lives. Definitions, summaries and key words are developed throughout with careful cross-referencing allowing students to move effortlessly between core ideas and themes. Each entry provides:

IntroductionAttachment and LossBiologyCareChild DevelopmentChildhood and ChildrenComparative ApproachesConflict TheoriesCoupledom: Marriage, Partnership and CohabitationDemographyDivision of LabourDomestic Violence and AbuseFamilies of ChoiceFamily as DiscourseFamily Change and ContinuityFamily EffectsFamily FormsFamily LawFamily Life Cycle and Life CourseFamily PoliciesFamily PracticesFamily SystemsFatherhood, Fathers and FatheringFeminismsFunctionalismGrandparentsHomeHouseholdIndividualizationIntimacyKinshipMotherhood, Mothers and MotheringNegotiationNew RightParenthood, Parents and ParentingPersonalPhenomenological ApproachesPost-Coupledom: Separation, Divorce and WidowhoodPowerProblem FamiliesPublic and PrivateRationalitiesRole TheorySiblingsSocial DivisionsSocializationTransnational Families