Family in Transition

by Arlene S. Skolnick, Jerome H. Skolnick

This best-selling reader on families and intimate relationships identifies the most current trends and places them in historical context. New topics changing family demographic over the course of U.S. history, why gay men and women want to marry, the decline of dating and the rise of hooking up, adoption past and present, how a 24/7 ecomomy affects families, financial pressures on middle-class mothers and fathers, gay and lesbian families, and the families of prison inmates. Anyone looking for a collection of classic and contemporary readings on the sociology of the family.

Genres: Nonfiction, School, Psychology, Sociology

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[RavenNoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted to Amazon:

I have been out of college for many years now but this text was loaned to me by a Sociology major after we had some interesting discussions about family issues, and despite this being a textbook, it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy reading it.

I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the current issues of families in America and all the factors that affect the existence of a family; basically, the evolution of the "family" unit in the United States over the past few decades with a focus on recent years.

Current trends in American family life are discussed in a scholarly manner along with some debunking of popular myths about families. Excellent and for the most part easy-to-read text on the status of today's families, esp. with articles about the impact of class, race, educational level, socio-economic status and our aging population on what defines a family at this time (2008-2009).

Issues such as our longer lifespans are discussed as far as how it potentially means longer years in marriage and time alone together after the children have become independent, but it is also just as likely that couples may have their elderly parents to take care of, and/or adult children returning home due to the recent changes in the economy. The text also discusses the shift in the preferences of men and women away from marriage/family as an economic necessity and instead more about psychological fulfillment and building lifelong relationships within the family.

Changes in technology and a shift towards a service and information economy enable more jobs for women and can even allow for both men and women to work from home and still raise a family if they choose. However the economy has been unstable in recent years so this affects not only the adult children who may not be able to leave home and live independently, but also changes the dynamics within the family if suddenly the wife/mother becomes the primary wage earner and/or the husband/father is unable to find work at the same earning power as before. The text also discusses how over the years society's expectations remain the same for a mother's responsibilities whether she stays home with her children or is also working outside the home full-time, and the so-called "mommy wars."

The topics have been relevant personally so I admit to some bias in favorably reviewing this text because so much of what is discussed seems to accurately reflect real-life situations that I have lived through as well as those heard about via friends and relatives.

[Cozette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this text in my family studies class, but I would recommend it for anyone who has a family. The essays are thought-provoking and continue the scholarly trend of re-envisioning our definitions of family.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly learning from this book ANYONE can write about sociology and be believed or at least published. This book mostly is full of hot air with little references and few studies. I am reading 15th edition not 14th.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana excellent text book on the subject of what is happening to modern families.