Understanding Families
A Global Introduction
- Linda McKie - Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, Durham University, UK
- Samantha Callan - Edinburgh University, UK
"I don't know how often I've wished for an introductory text on family life which encompassed critical contemporary sociological thinking alongside the basic information students need, and have only found fossilised thinking on a stodgy subject. But now all that has changed. McKie and Callan have achieved what I thought was almost impossible in Understanding Families - a textbook which provides unrivalled foundations for a critical understanding of contemporary families and relationships."
- Carol Smart, The Morgan Centre, University of Manchester
"This excellent, innovative, comprehensive and easy to read text should be essential reading for everyone keen to understand families across the globe... It will make an outstanding contribution to family studies and is highly recommended."
- Janet Walker, Newcastle University
"Easy to read text, which debates current thinking surrounding modern families. Case studies and questions for the reader throughout the text help traslate theory into practice."
- Justine Gallagher, Northumbria University
Written by experts in family studies and family policy, this clear, engaging book adopts a global perspective to usefully examine how modern families can be explored and understood in research, policy and practice.
Packed with critical pedagogy, including case-studies, think points, key words and a glossary, it guides students through topics such as relationships, sexualities and paid and unpaid work, continually returning to its central themes of process and structure. The book also:
- Applies key social theories to contemporary analysis
- Examines key studies on researching families and family life
- Explores the role of government policies and practices
This comprehensive introduction to the study of families and relationships is a timely resource for students and lecturers working across the social sciences, particularly students of family studies, the sociology of the family, family policy, and social work and the family
Linda McKie is Professor of Sociology, Glasgow Caledonian University; Samantha Callan is based at the Centre for Social Justice. They are both affiliated to the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh.
A reasonable text that helps to contextualise the changing nature of famlies
Good background reading for the module I am teaching in Children and Families
I enjoyed the layout of this book and the indicators to prompt students to cross reference different issues. This is useful for first year UG students to encourage more evaluation and reflection in their work. Good overall coverage of the main issues (particularly the inclusion of feminist theory and links to research and policy. I would have liked to see the section on public/ private issues clearly indicate the issuesa around domestic violence and abuse and child abuse relating to the taboo still here and myths around strangers rather than familial abuse still being pushed through the media etc..
This is an excellent book that provides up-to-date information and analysis of families in a global context. It explores topics that are very relevant to a wide range of students interested in working with children and families within theoretical frameworks.
This book is a very comprehensive overview of many of the issues relating to families. It covers research into families, family policy and wider political ideologies that impact upon the family. Relationships within families is explored and work life balance. It is a very reader friendly volume also.
In a swiftly changing world where disadvantaged families are increasingly finding services difficult to access, this book provides a very accessible text that facilitates increased understanding of the issues families face and the contexts in which we are working.
A well constructed book that encourages reflective learning. I particularly liked chapter 3 that placed research methods in the context of families which most students will be able to relate to.
A book that is particularly relevant for those practitioners both in health and social care who work with families in a supportive and caring capacity
This book is very useful and provides a good introduction to the focus of working with families and communities. I was pleased that it took an international perspective as this will also be useful for student who are studying comparative education in their final year.
The library has bought copies of the text and it is referenced throughout the course
Ch 7 Families into the Future is useful supplementary reading to help students anticipate the effects of changes in families.
