A tension lies at the heart of family law. Expressed in the language of rights and duties, it seeks to impose enforceable obligations on individuals linked to each other by ties that are usually regarded as based on love or blood. Taking a contextual approach that draws on history, sociology and social policy as well as law and legal theory, this book examines the concept of obligation as it has been developed in family law and the difficulties the law has had in translating it from a theoretical and ideological concept into the basis of enforceable actions and duties. Increasingly, the idea of commitment has been offered as the key organising principle for the recognition of family relationships, often as a means of rebutting claims that family ties are becoming attenuated, but the meaning and scope of this concept have not been explored. The book traces how the notion of commitment is understood and how far it has come to be used as a rationale for imposing the core legal obligations which underpin care and caring within families.

Professor Nigel Lowe is the leading expert in international family law, with a world-wide reputation for his work in child law, international family relocation and child abduction. His career, spanning more than 40 years, has produced a huge body of literature and is internationally influential and of particular importance within Europe.A collaborative effort by members of the judiciary, practitioners and fellow academics from both the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions International and National Perspectives on Child and Family Law is a recognition of the impact of his work. It covers key issues in international child and family law including those in which Professor Lowe's work has been particularly influential, namely adoption, wardship, parental responsibility, children's rights, international family relocation and the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.International and transnational family law has been a developing field of study and a growing area of legal practice over recent years. At a time of great international change and with the complications and implications of Brexit, this book covers many of the key issues in family law today and provides the reader with an exploration of possible future developments in the field.

This book of essays by legal scholars from the United Kingdom, Eire, Israel and Palestine explores the extent to which the recognition of the concept of children's rights is affected by adherence to religious, cultural and ethnic traditions. The aim is twofold: first, to illuminate the interface between internationally-agreed norms of conduct regarding children and national and cultural determination to preserve traditional approaches; and secondly, to reflect upon the conflicts within societies between different cultural and religious groups in their attempts to determine whether 'liberal/secular' or 'conservative/religious' norms predominate in attitudes to children's upbringing. This is the first collection of papers covering and comparing the UK and Israeli/Palestinian jurisdictions. The particular blends of social, religious and cultural diversity in both regions, mingled with the political factors operating as well, render these jurisdictions of special interest as case-studies in the reception of 'western/liberal' norms and values. Moreover, Israel and Palestine, despite their manifestly different cultures as compared with Britain, have been influenced by the colonial legacy of the common law, rendering this particular east-west comparison of special interest.

This book of essays by legal scholars from the United Kingdom, Eire, Israel and Palestine explores the extent to which the recognition of the concept of children's rights is affected by adherence to religious, cultural and ethnic traditions. The aim is twofold: first, to illuminate the interface between internationally-agreed norms of conduct regarding children and national and cultural determination to preserve traditional approaches; and secondly, to reflect upon the conflicts within societies between different cultural and religious groups in their attempts to determine whether 'liberal/secular' or 'conservative/religious' norms predominate in attitudes to children's upbringing. This is the first collection of papers covering and comparing the UK and Israeli/Palestinian jurisdictions. The particular blends of social, religious and cultural diversity in both regions, mingled with the political factors operating as well, render these jurisdictions of special interest as case-studies in the reception of 'western/liberal' norms and values. Moreover, Israel and Palestine, despite their manifestly different cultures as compared with Britain, have been influenced by the colonial legacy of the common law, rendering this particular east-west comparison of special interest.

Grandparenting in divorced families is the first in-depth exploration of grandparents' relationships with their adult children and grandchildren in divorced families. It asks what part grandparents might play in public policy and whether measures should be taken to support their grandparenting role. Do grandparents have a special role in family life that ought to be recognised in law? This book examines grandparents' roles and functions and gives voice to their attitudes and opinions. Grandparenting is often represented sentimentally with too little account taken of the diversity of attitudes and behaviour. The study asks challenging questions about grandparents' contributions to family life and comments on the legal and policy implications. It includes fascinating discussion of issues such as: grandparents who are excluded and ignored; partisan behaviour and its effect on family relationships; communicating across the family divide; change and continuity in grandparents' relationships with their grandchildren. This groundbreaking book is intended for a wide readership. Grandparents and parents in divorced families will identify with many of the thoughts, feelings and experiences r

Most academic literature focuses on the position of the child in relation to the parent or the state. In reality, the law is more concerned with the role and function of parents, and this new book addresses the key issues of parental rights and responsibilities.

Relied on by generations of students and practitioners alike, Bromley's Family Law remains the definitive guide to the subject. Updated by experts in the area, Nigel Lowe, Gillian Douglas, Emma Hitchings, and Rachel Taylor provide an accurate and detailed yet highly readable account of family law. The text presents a broad and comprehensive treatment of the key issues relating to adult and child law in a clear and distilled manner. Regular headings break up the text and allow easy navigation and quick reference for both students new to the subject and those in practice. The new edition has been fully edited and updated to take account of the latest case law and legislation, while also reflecting new debates and emerging issues in the area. Digital formats and resources The twelfth edition is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats. The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks

Gillian Douglas examines family law in England and Wales within a broad social context. The book explores how the law regulates family life, beginning with a discussion of the main social changes and influences on family law in modern society. It then examines which family relationships are legally recognised and the legal consequences that flow from recognition and non-recognition. Family Law provides a detailed account of how children's interests are viewed and protected in family law, and concludes with a consideration of how the law handles the ending of family relationships. Throughout, the book draws out the linkages between different aspects of the subject and its relationship with other areas of the law and with other disciplines. Gillian Douglas also takes full account of the influence of international law, particularly human rights law under the newly incorporated European Convention on Human Rights.

A tension lies at the heart of family law. Expressed in the language of rights and duties, it seeks to impose enforceable obligations on individuals linked to each other by ties that are usually regarded as based on love or blood. Taking a contextual approach that draws on history, sociology and social policy as well as law and legal theory, this book examines the concept of obligation as it has been developed in family law and the difficulties the law has had in translating it from a theoretical and ideological concept into the basis of enforceable actions and duties. Increasingly, the idea of commitment has been offered as the key organising principle for the recognition of family relationships, often as a means of rebutting claims that family ties are becoming attenuated, but the meaning and scope of this concept have not been explored. The book traces how the notion of commitment is understood and how far it has come to be used as a rationale for imposing the core legal obligations which underpin care and caring within families.

Drawing on a three-year multidisciplinary study of children of divorced parents, the authors, leading academics in their fields, present a much-needed guide to understanding the experience of children who are experiencing parental separation. This book provides an in-depth account of how children are actively involved in the process of divorce and how they shape that experience. The topics discussed include how children find out that their parents are separating; how children tell other people about what is happening to them and their family; how parent-child relationships change after separation and ways in which children adapt and cope during and immediately after their parents' divorce. The authors show what children want and need to know as the process of divorce unfolds and how professionals can respond appropriately to help them to understand and adjust to their changing circumstances. Divorcing Children addresses the weaknesses of current legislation in family justice and suggests ways of improving the skills and knowledge of all professionals who work with children during this difficult period in children's lives.