This study presents a theoretical and practical discussion of the changes that have occurred between men and women and how the sexes relate to one another from social, political, and ethical perspectives. Not only do men and women reflect different gender roles through communication, but they are also impacted by communication about gender, especially from the media. Gender differences in communication have gained political importance due to the increasingly relevant issues of sexual harassment and political correctness. These social and political changes have influenced our value systems and have given the study of gendered communication an ethical importance. Payne argues that religious ideology is an important aspect of gendered development and that biological, psychological, social, and cultural phenomena also affect sex roles.

This volume will appeal to scholars and students in the communications disciplines as well as psychologists and sociologists. Organized around three major themes--the construction of the gendered self, the differences between men and women as they relate to one another through language, power, and nonverbal communication, and the effects of gendered communication in leadership and the media--this work covers much ground on the topic of communication between the sexes.

When adoptions fail to happen, the effects can be devastating on children and the families who chose to adopt them What if you were an adopted child and someone tried to remove you from the family you had grown to love? In the last twenty years, changes in laws, judicial decisions, social welfare practices, and the availability of American children for adoption have led to an increase in disrupted adoptions. When Adoptions Go Wrong: Psychological and Legal Issues of Adoption Disruption examines the psychological and forensic aspects of adoption with an emphasis on how negative events can affect children and the families that choose to adopt themand how you can prevent those events from happening. When Adoptions Go Wrong is a comprehensive resource on the causes of interrupted adoptions, including changing profiles of adoptive parents who have new reasons for wanting to adopt. With the help of detailed case examples, this powerful book explores the impact of disruptions on the children, the legal issues of determining in whose best interests decisions are made, and possible methods of reducing the negative affects of those decisions on the children. It also stresses how important it is, for the professionals involved, to be aware of child development in the adoption process. Topics discussed in When Adoptions Go Wrong include: children's rights legal rights of gays to adopt tribal rights (Native Americans) open adoption individual state laws concerning adoption the media's coverage of child custody cases types of adoption the Baby Jessica case the Evan Scott case the Internet Twins inadequate social services family court and much more When Adoptions Go Wrong also suggests legislative measures to create uniformity in the way states handle adoption issues to help natural and adoptive parents in making difficult decisions. The book is invaluable for psychologists, judges and lawyers, social workers, and prospective adoptive parents.

When adoptions fail to happen, the effects can be devastating on children and the families who chose to adopt them What if you were an adopted child and someone tried to remove you from the family you had grown to love? In the last twenty years, changes in laws, judicial decisions, social welfare practices, and the availability of American children for adoption have led to an increase in disrupted adoptions. When Adoptions Go Wrong: Psychological and Legal Issues of Adoption Disruption examines the psychological and forensic aspects of adoption with an emphasis on how negative events can affect children and the families that choose to adopt themand how you can prevent those events from happening. When Adoptions Go Wrong is a comprehensive resource on the causes of interrupted adoptions, including changing profiles of adoptive parents who have new reasons for wanting to adopt. With the help of detailed case examples, this powerful book explores the impact of disruptions on the children, the legal issues of determining in whose best interests decisions are made, and possible methods of reducing the negative affects of those decisions on the children. It also stresses how important it is, for the professionals involved, to be aware of child development in the adoption process. Topics discussed in When Adoptions Go Wrong include: children's rights legal rights of gays to adopt tribal rights (Native Americans) open adoption individual state laws concerning adoption the media's coverage of child custody cases types of adoption the Baby Jessica case the Evan Scott case the Internet Twins inadequate social services family court and much more When Adoptions Go Wrong also suggests legislative measures to create uniformity in the way states handle adoption issues to help natural and adoptive parents in making difficult decisions. The book is invaluable for psychologists, judges and lawyers, social workers, and prospective adoptive parents.

Family researchers have long recognized the interconnected nature of work and family. Around the globe, there is a clear recognition that the paid labor experiences of individuals will affect their families and familial relationships, often in unanticipated ways. Likewise, family relationships and family structures can significantly influence the work experience of individuals. As experiences of both families and work vary considerably across cultures, and over time, the nature of the work-family interface continues to change. The work-family interface impacts not only adults within families, but also children, and the interwoven nature of work and family yields significant consequences for all family members and relationships. In order to better understand these issues, this multidisciplinary volume addresses such topics as: parental employment and parenting, paid labor and marital quality, the integration of work-family domains, childcare and child development, dating and mate selection at work, work stress and family violence, health consequences of work-family conflict, relationship roles among dual-earner couples, family determinants of job performance, gender differences in work-family demands and consequences, and work stressors and family functioning; among others. The chapters in this volume provide substantial insight into our understanding of the work-family interface, and provide meaningful directions for both future research and policy.

Gain a better understanding of the special therapeutic issues and needs of GLBT families In terms of research, GLBT families constitute a neglected segment of society. Gender and sexual orientation can make the issues in family studies even more difficult to work through. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies tackles a challenging research topic by presenting noted experts examining the latest information on the newest type of family studiesGLBT families. This groundbreaking text explores a wide range of unique problems faced by nontraditional families, as well as issues common to traditional families that need to be approached with a GLBT perspective. Though homophobia and heterosexism constantly influence GLBT families, these factors do not necessarily overwhelm the dynamic of their basic family unit. Issues present in many traditional families are found when researching GLBT families. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies spotlights the issues, research, and future trends that provide a foundation for the study of GLBT families. This breakthrough volume focuses not only on the obvious unique factors within GLBT families, but also on the elements encountered within families that are present regardless of sexual orientation and gender, such as physical and emotional abuse. Expert contributors present research findings on family pattern issues relating to parent-child relationships, child development, sibling relationships, family structure, intimate relationships, stepfamilies, alternative family structures, and extended family relationships. Each chapter is extensively referenced and offers possibilities for further research. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies discusses family studies topics such as: the impact of the family of origin life course perspective transgender identity issues and the family when a spouse comes out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual a study of lesbian couples adapting genogram techniques in therapy research comparing siblings of different sexual orientations studies of patterns of responses to parental reactions to learning their offspring are gay, lesbian, or bisexual the polyamory structure to some gay men's familial relationships same-sex marriages and legalized relationships gay male couples' roles in today's society the impact of heterosexism on working with same-sex relationships research on long-term lesbian couples An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies is a valuable reference for academic researchers in family studies, marriage and family therapy, social work, and counseling; educators, upper division undergraduate and graduate students; and anyone interested in better understanding GLBT family studies.

Find out what it's like to be young, African-American . . . and a father Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an insightful look at adolescent pregnancy and parenthood through the eyes of fathers aged 14 to 19. This unique book features candid interviews with thirty teens who talk about doing what I got to dohandling their responsibilities as best they can given their perceptions, limitations, and life experiences. Teens talk about how and why they became fathers, how they handle being a parent, their perceptions of fatherhood, the relationships they have with their parents and the mothers of their children, and how they deal with the everyday struggles, demands, and concerns they face. Nearly one million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year in the United States and most of the available research on adolescent parenthood focused on them. We know little about African-American adolescent fathers or about their perspectives on the cultural and socioeconomic conditions that define their experience. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers provides an understanding of these young fathers on their own terms and suggests theoretical frameworks, assessment tools, and effective interventions to develop a plan of action to help African-American adolescent fathers fulfill their roles. Helpful appendixes, including an interview guide and biographies of the particpants, are included, as are six tables that make complex information easy to access and understand. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers examines tough issues, including: intimate, amicable, or antagonistic relationships with their children's mothers relationships with their own mothers and fathers racism and discrimination child support loss of independence transportation problems drugs socioeconomic issues and much more Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an invaluable resource for counselors, family educators, social service organizations, community practitioners, and social scientists.

Make your marriage and family programs more relevant by making them cross-culturally sensitive International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools offers a collection of innovative ideas and resources for educators who wish to enhance the international content of their human development and family science curriculum. Contributors share their experiences of transforming department commitments, modifying existing and/or creating new courses, developing stimulating exercises and projects, capitalizing on existing faculty development programs to enhance educators' own international understanding, partnering with universities overseas, and utilizing existing institutional structures to incorporate international study-abroad opportunities and internships for students. The book presents teaching tools and techniques, specific resources, and theoretical models for use in family studies, human development, and social science programs. International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools promotes cross-cultural competence and global understandingessential ingredients for the success of future family professionals. The book is devoted to fostering knowledge and skills critical for breaking down barriers and expanding cultural knowledge in an effort to better prepare students to work with ethnically and culturally diverse families. International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools examines: planning, implementing, and evaluating an innovative diversity curriculum knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with ethnically and culturally diverse families teaching techniques that can be incorporated in the classroom to enhance greater cultural understanding the use of student group presentations, technology, and books projects to teach about culturally diverse families issues of cultural competence, cultural sensitivity, and respect for diversity experiential opportunities abroad for students and faculty and much more International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools is an essential resource for educators training the next generation of family professionals.

As the rich have got richer and households have become busier, demand for commoditized household services has increased. While much is known about maids and nannies, this book is distinctive in focusing on masculinized domestic services. Through two case-studies - Polish handymen in the UK and the households that employ them and Mexican jardineros in the USA - the book demonstrates how, by outsourcing, householders can mitigate the "father time-bind" arising from tensions between new expectations for involved fathering, economic expectations regarding working hours, and a highly gendered and neo-liberal social policy regime, and shows how the consequences of this reaches beyond the households into the lives of the migrant men who work for them. Through the focus on male domestic work, the book identifies distinctly gendered understandings of domestic work and care, and shows how these influence the differential economic value of and emotional attachment to different forms of domestic work, and the gendered identities of those supplying and buying these services. In doing so, the book reveals much about the dynamic and varied understandings of masculinity.

Indigenous thinker and leader Ailton Krenak exposes the destructive tendencies of our 'civilization' rampant consumerism, environmental devastation and a narrow and restricted understanding of humanity's place on this Earth. For many centuries, Brazil's Indigenous peoples have bravely faced threats of total annihilation and, in extremely adverse conditions, have reinvented their lives and communities. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the rest of the world to reconsider its lifestyle, Ailton Krenak's clear and urgent thinking emerges with newfound impact and offers a vital perspective on the enormous challenges we face today: the ravages of the pandemic and the devastation caused by global warming, to name just two. Krenak questions the value of going back to normal when 'normal' is a vision of humanity divorced from nature, actively destroying the planet and digging deep trenches of inequality between peoples and societies. The 'civilized' world insists on giving life a purpose but life is not 'useful' and 'civilization' is not destiny. We must learn to embrace the joy of living life to its fullest, and inhabit the stillness that comes with not always being useful. In the wake of the pandemic, we have an opportunity to create deep and meaningful change in the way we live: this, more than ever, is a time to listen to voices that are one with the body of the Earth.

Learn ways to address domestic and sexual abuse in your community Breaking the cycle of domestic violence and abuse poses unique problems for the Jewish community, owing to the internal divisions of politics, religious practice, and culture. However, creating strategies to work together based upon the shared values of Judaism can strip away those differences. Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference brings together an outstanding and diverse selection of notable presentations from the First International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community held in July 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference, entitled Pursuing Truth, Justice, and Righteousness: A Call to Action, brought to the forefront the disturbing, many times hidden issue of domestic abuse within the Jewish community. Respected scholars, clergy, social service professionals, and survivors provide insightful presentations that lay an essential foundation for the building of a collaborative global Jewish movement to respond to this sensitive issue. Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference marks the start of a quiet revolution aimed at ending domestic abuse in various Jewish communities by revealing the many facets of the problem while offering ways to address them. Sexual and domestic abuse issues in the Jewish communities of the US, Israel, South Africa and the UK are illuminated and described, and practical strategies are discussed, keeping in mind the common goals within the varied communities. Jewish religious law is reviewed, along with an analysis of Maimomides' response to domestic abuse, and a vision is offered to respond to child sexual abuse. Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference is separated into five categories of presentations: Illuminating the Issue; Healing and Wholeness; Promising Practices; Creating Change; and Breaking the Cycle, each section progressing logically to present a unified discussion of the issues. The book discusses: helping religious women escape domestic abuse the Jewish tradition and the treatment of battered women the widespread claim that Maimonedes condoned wife-battering the spiritual movement called neohasidism the issues of reconciliation between survivors and former perpetrators the Ayelet Programa project which provides long-term mentoring to past victims starting a new life organizing the community to address domestic violence in immigrant populations the response to domestic violence in the South African Jewish community services for victims in Israel child sexual abuse and incest Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference is informative, eye-opening reading for social workers, clergy, direct service providers for survivors of domestic/sexual abuse, directors/staff of Jewish Family Service agencies, Jewish Federations, Jewish women's organizations, and Jewish foundations.

Examine the changing structure of the family as America's population ages! As the United States' economy evolves and manufacturing jobs disappear, the prospect of each generation experiencing a standard of living that exceeds that of their parents' generation also disappears. Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families: Policy and Practice Implications explores this trend, presenting the latest original research on the changing roles of caregivers along with the economic and emotional effects on the family unit. Respected authorities discuss in detail long-term care and the standard of living of families, with a focus on the effects of changing family structures on families themselves and society at large. The coming boom in the population of the aging will impact families at several levels. Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families thoroughly examines the economic demands of aging on families, then focuses on different roles elderly family members are likely to play over the next several decades. Some of the issues explored include skipped generation parenting where children are raised in grandparent homes where neither parent is present, the impending economic impact of caregiving on families, the stress on families with fewer siblings to share the caregiving tasks, and the tendency for family members to live in different parts of the country and subsequently become unable to offer caregiver support. Detailed tables provide clarity of thought while comprehensive bibliographies offer further opportunity for study. Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families discusses: the economics of aging the implications of aging economics and emotional stress on the future of families the coming labor shortage of caregivers family-based intervention in residential long-term care shifting relationships between parents and their children caregivers self-esteem issues involving daughter caregivers paying family caregiversas public policy a proposed policy of requiring adult children to care for their aging parents inheritance and intergenerational transmission of parental care the inherent psychological stress within skipped generation families Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families: Policy and Practice Implications is an eye-opening text for researchers, health professionals, social workers, counselors, caregivers, educators, and students.

Examine the changing structure of the family as America's population ages As the United States' economy evolves and manufacturing jobs disappear, the prospect of each generation experiencing a standard of living that exceeds that of their parents' generation also disappears. Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families: Policy and Practice Implications explores this trend, presenting the latest original research on the changing roles of caregivers along with the economic and emotional effects on the family unit. Respected authorities discuss in detail long-term care and the standard of living of families, with a focus on the effects of changing family structures on families themselves and society at large. The coming boom in the population of the aging will impact families at several levels. Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families thoroughly examines the economic demands of aging on families, then focuses on different roles elderly family members are likely to play over the next several decades. Some of the issues explored include "skipped generation parenting" where children are raised in grandparent homes where neither parent is present, the impending economic impact of caregiving on families, the stress on families with fewer siblings to share the caregiving tasks, and the tendency for family members to live in different parts of the country and subsequently become unable to offer caregiver support. Detailed tables provide clarity of thought while comprehensive bibliographies offer further opportunity for study.Challenges of Aging on U.S. Families discusses: the economics of aging the implications of aging economics and emotional stress on the future of families the coming labor shortage of caregivers family-based intervention in residential long-term care shifting relationships between parents and their children caregivers self-esteem issues involving daughter caregivers paying family caregivers--as public policy a proposed policy of requiring adult children to care for their aging parents inheritance and intergenerational transmission of parental care the inherent psychological stress within skipped generation familiesChallenges of Aging on U.S. Families: Policy and Practice Implications is an eye-opening text for researchers, health professionals, social workers, counselors, caregivers, educators, and students.

In this fascinating study, Boden considers the changing social and cultural significance of the wedding in Britain. The book focuses upon a number of issues including the commercialization of the event, the dynamics of heterosexual partnerships, and the influence of romance. The new commercial wedding is further explored in relation to broader socio-structural transformations and the modernization of marriage law. This book draws upon the experiences of marrying couples as well as media evidence.

Explore the most fundamental human relationshipbetween parent and child Western social science has long neglected to acknowledge that family relationships must always be examined from a culturally sensitive perspective. Parent-Youth Relations: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Perspectives fills this void by exploring in depth the most fundamental human relationshipbetween parent and childin different societies around the world. International experts provide a comprehensive collection of original research and theory on how parental styles and the effects of culture are interconnected. Written from diverse perspectives, this unique resource reveals deep insight into these relationships by focusing on the individuals, the structure of the family, and societal and cultural influences. Parental relations and cultural belief systems both play integral parts on how socialization and development occur in children. Parent-Youth Relations: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Perspectives presents several viewpoints, some comparing similarities and differences across societies or nations, others exploring relationships within a single culture. This probing global look at parent-youth relations provides sensitively nuanced information valuable for every professional or student in the social sciences. Detailed tables illustrate research data while thorough bibliographies offer opportunities for further study. Parent-Youth Relations: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Perspectives explores: parenting style and its effects on children in Chinese culture parenting style in problem-solving situations in Hong Kong cross-national perspectives on parental acceptance-rejection theory multinational studies of interparental conflict, parenting, and adolescent functioning the relationship between parenting behaviors and adolescent achievement in Chile and Ecuador parent-adolescent relations and problem behaviors in Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States cross-national analysis of family and school socialization and adolescent academic achievement parent-child contact after divorcefrom the child's perspective familial impacts on adolescent aggression and depression in Colombia predicting Korean adolescents' sexual behavior from individual and family factors parenting in Mexican society relations with parents and friends during adolescence and early adulthood parent-child relationships in childhood and adulthood and their effect on the parent's marriage the effects of financial hardship, interparental conflict, and maternal parenting in Germany and more original research studies! Parent-Youth Relations: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Perspectives presents the freshest research available along with extensive bibliographies, providing essential reading for educators, advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals in family studies, sociology, psychology, and anthropology.

"Leading family sociologist David Morgan revisits his highly influential 'family practices' approach in this new book. Exploring its impact, and how it has been critiqued, Morgan shows the continued relevance of the approach with reference to time and space, the body, emotions, ethics and work/life balance"--

Learn the who, what, and why of unbecoming a mother In a society where becoming a mother is naturalized, unbecoming a motherthe process of coming to live apart from biological childrenis regarded as unnatural, improper, or even contemptible. Few mothers are more stigmatized than those who are perceived as having given up, surrendered, or abandoned their birth children. Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence examines this phenomenon within the social and historical context of parenting in Canada, Australia, Britain, and the United States, with critical observations from social workers, policymakers, and historians. This unique book offers insights from the perspectives of children on the outside looking in and the lived experiences of women on the inside looking out. Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence explores how gender, race, class, and other social agents affect the ways women negotiate their lives apart from their children and how they attempt to recreate their identities and family structures. An interdisciplinary, international collection of academics, community workers, and mothers draws upon sources as diverse as archival records, a therapist's interview, a dance script, and the class presentation of a student to offer refreshing insights on maternal absence that are innovative, accessible, and inspiring. Unbecoming Mothers examines five assumptions about maternal absence and the families that emerge from that absence: the focus on parenting as highly gendered caring work done by women the idea that women share the same experience of unbecoming mothers and share the same circumstances and background the perception of maternal absence as a recent phenomenon the notion that women who want to manage their mother-work will make choices to overcome life's obstacles the Western concept of womanhood being achieved through motherhood and the unrealistic ideal of the good mother Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence is a rich, multidisciplinary resource for academics working in women's studies, psychology, sociology, history, and any health-related fields, and for policymakers, social workers, and other community workers.

Learn the who, what, and why of unbecoming a mother In a society where becoming a mother is naturalized, unbecoming a motherthe process of coming to live apart from biological childrenis regarded as unnatural, improper, or even contemptible. Few mothers are more stigmatized than those who are perceived as having given up, surrendered, or abandoned their birth children. Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence examines this phenomenon within the social and historical context of parenting in Canada, Australia, Britain, and the United States, with critical observations from social workers, policymakers, and historians. This unique book offers insights from the perspectives of children on the outside looking in and the lived experiences of women on the inside looking out. Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence explores how gender, race, class, and other social agents affect the ways women negotiate their lives apart from their children and how they attempt to recreate their identities and family structures. An interdisciplinary, international collection of academics, community workers, and mothers draws upon sources as diverse as archival records, a therapist's interview, a dance script, and the class presentation of a student to offer refreshing insights on maternal absence that are innovative, accessible, and inspiring. Unbecoming Mothers examines five assumptions about maternal absence and the families that emerge from that absence: the focus on parenting as highly gendered caring work done by women the idea that women share the same experience of unbecoming mothers and share the same circumstances and background the perception of maternal absence as a recent phenomenon the notion that women who want to manage their mother-work will make choices to overcome life's obstacles the Western concept of womanhood being achieved through motherhood and the unrealistic ideal of the good mother Unbecoming Mothers: The Social Production of Maternal Absence is a rich, multidisciplinary resource for academics working in women's studies, psychology, sociology, history, and any health-related fields, and for policymakers, social workers, and other community workers.

There are many lessons to be learned about work-family interaction. It is clear that some people have learned how to combine work and family in ways that are mutually supporting--at least much of the time--and some employers have created work environments and policies that make positive interdependence of these two spheres more likely to occur. This book discusses measures of work-family, conflict, policies designed to reduce conflict, comparisons with other industrialized nations, and reasons why family-friendly work-policies have not been adopted with enthusiasm. The purpose is to consider a broad range of topics that pertain to work and family with the goal of helping employers and working families understand the work-life options that are available so they can make choices that offer returns-on-investments to employers, families, and society at large that are consistent with personal and societal values. This book brings together a superb panel of experts from different disciplines to look at work and family issues and the way they interact. Part I is an overview--with a brief discussion by a psychologist, economist, and a political scientist--each of whom provide their own interpretation of how their discipline views this hybrid field that none exclusively "owns." Part II considers the business case of the question of why employers should invest in family-friendly work policies, followed by a section on the employer response to work family interactions. Families are the focus of the Part IV, followed by a look at children--many of whom are at the heart of work and family interaction.

There are many lessons to be learned about work-family interaction. It is clear that some people have learned how to combine work and family in ways that are mutually supporting--at least much of the time--and some employers have created work environments and policies that make positive interdependence of these two spheres more likely to occur. This book discusses measures of work-family, conflict, policies designed to reduce conflict, comparisons with other industrialized nations, and reasons why family-friendly work-policies have not been adopted with enthusiasm. The purpose is to consider a broad range of topics that pertain to work and family with the goal of helping employers and working families understand the work-life options that are available so they can make choices that offer returns-on-investments to employers, families, and society at large that are consistent with personal and societal values.
This book brings together a superb panel of experts from different disciplines to look at work and family issues and the way they interact. Part I is an overview--with a brief discussion by a psychologist, economist, and a political scientist--each of whom provide their own interpretation of how their discipline views this hybrid field. Part II considers the business case of the question of why employers should invest in family-friendly work policies, followed by a section on the employer response to work family interactions. Families are the focus of the Part IV, followed by a look at children--many of whom are at the heart of work and family interaction.

Family stories of the ties between mothers and daughters form the foundation of Mothers and Daughters: Complicated Connections Across Cultures. Nationally and internationally known feminist scholars frame, analyze, and explore mother-daughter bonds in this collection of essays. Cultures from around the world are mined for insights which reveal historical, generational, ethnic, political, religious, and social class differences. This book focuses on the tenacity of the connection between mothers and daughters, impediments to a strong connection, and practices of good communication. Mothers and Daughters will interest those studying communication, women s studies, psychology, sociology, anthropology, counseling, and cultural studies.

Drawing on the life stories of 266 migrants in South China, Choi and Peng examine the effect of mass rural-to-urban migration on family and gender relationships, with a specific focus on changes in men and masculinities. They show how migration has forced migrant men to renegotiate their roles as lovers, husbands, fathers, and sons. They also reveal how migrant men make masculine compromises: they strive to preserve the gender boundary and their symbolic dominance within the family by making concessions on marital power and domestic division of labor, and by redefining filial piety and fatherhood. The stories of these migrant men and their families reveal another side to China's sweeping economic reform, modernization, and grand social transformations.

Explore legal issues that often hinder the work of child welfare practitioners! Child Welfare in the Legal Setting: A Critical and Interpretive Perspective is a revolutionary study of the child welfare system that is essential for practitioners, educators, and students interested in public child welfare work. It examines the legal system surrounding child welfare workers and highlights their need for agency-specific training. This insightful book challenges the traditional rules of child welfare and paves the way for alternate methods of conceptualizing and organizing child protection. It explores why many family interventions fail and others never even occur. By identifying incongruities between the philosophy of child welfare and its function, this book advocates a more individualistic and efficient technique for assisting clients. Addressing issues and challenges from the initial identification of problems to navigating the legal system, this book is also thorough enough for public child welfare workers who want to take their skills to the next level. The large-system perspective in this book uses the concentric circle model, the rational legal model of legal and court action, and the ritualized process model to examine child welfare practice. Learn why terms such as child abuse and neglect have become social constructions that vary depending on the values of social workers, judges, attorneys, agencies, and communities. Child Welfare in the Legal Setting: A Critical and Interpretive Perspective examines the standardization of the organizational activities of child welfare systems and how this limits professionals' ability to accurately recognize unique problems and intervene in the most beneficial manner. Child Welfare in the Legal Setting also provides controversial opinions on emerging issues including: family investigations sanction for Child Protective Services intervention the legal setting as a host environment the function of the child welfare system rationalization of child welfare intervention trained incapacity of social workers Title IVE programs the court system Child Welfare in the Legal Setting: A Critical and Interpretive Perspective identifies vital issues by analyzing the ethical and moral foundations of the child welfare system. This insightful book also takes a close look at how practitioners inadvertently devalue their clients by using language that creates stigmatized social categories such as victim and convicted felon. Supervisors, managers, social workers and child welfare practitioners will benefit from this information. The vignettes that supplement the narrative also make the book an important resource in any child welfare course.

The brand new novel from #1 bestseller Shari Low!Colm O'Flynn was loved by his close circle of family and friends, however his death came too soon for everyone to make peace with their past. Shauna, his second wife, adored him. But one night she broke their marriage vows, and didn't get time to ask Colm's forgiveness. Jess was the first Mrs O'Flynn. Her heart is set on someone new, but will the last one night stand she shared with Colm come back to haunt her? Colm's best friend, Dan, is recently divorced. Can he take a second shot at happiness if it means betraying the one person who always had his back? What no-one knows is that somewhere out there Colm left messages that could set them free to start over again. Can divine intervention help them find Colm's last wishes before it's too late to love again? Praise for Shari Low: 'I'd forgotten how enjoyable it is to read a Shari Low book but My One Month Marriage reminded me of the fun to be had in her words...funny, warm and insightful.' Dorothy Koomson 'Great fun from start to finish.' Jenny Colgan 'There are only two words for Shari Low: utterly hilarious. I laughed like a drain.' Carmen Reid 'One of the funniest books I've ever read!' Marisa Mackle 'More fun than a girl's night out!' OK! magazine 'A brilliant, light comical read with some fabulous twists and turns' Bookbag 'A thrilling page turner that grabs your attention from the off. Highly recommended' The Sun 'Totally captivating and it felt like I'd lost a new best friend when it came to the end' CloserMagazine 'Touching stuff' Heat

In The American Father, Wade C. Mackey documents a wealth of infor mation demonstrating the vast benefits to society when its children are raised in families with fathers. The biopsychosocial approach Mackey in human employs is consistent with the current treatment of topics development. This approach-which is grounded in a variety of diverse sources-assumes that we understand little about people when we study them a bit at a time; rather, the fullness of the individual requires a fullness of examination. For example, in the cases of fathers, we note that humans do not reproduce alone; after all, we are not an asexual species. No, human reproduction and its sequelae are social, just as clearly as they are biological, and involve the whole panoply of psychic function (mo tivation, sociability, intelligence, and the like). The evidence marshaled by Mackey indicates strongly that indi viduals and societies have an essential requirement for something more than mothering; they also need fathering. Much of the discourse and publication on fathers during the past several decades has been posited on a "more is better" model of male parenting in which it is seldom stated who it is better for-the father, the child, the mother, the couple, or the family. Further, much of this discussion infers that fathers are merely "Mr. Moms"; yet this is not so."

This book provides an examination of common familial trends and differences across Europe from the 1960s. It ties in with current major concerns on social policy and the family, and the changing nature of the family in Europe - and the West in general. It applies the different cases of Spain and Finland to the rest of Europe. It includes historical context of changing family structures, implications for social policy, demographic issues, family practices.This book examines common familial trends and differences throughout Europe from the 1960s onwards and discusses the most common theoretical explanations for convergence and divergence. Eriikka Oinonen reveals how structural factors such as the labour market, the welfare state and the EU affect Europeans' family related choices.