Joan Aldous does not just give us an update of her influential 1978 version of Family Careers but provides us with a rethinking of the whole approach. As a result we have available to us a new version of the family development approach for students and researchers. Students will particularly delight in Professor Aldous′s clear exposition of ideas and research. --James M. White, Ph.D. University of British Columbia'This book lays out an agenda that may appear simple--but in reality is very complex--and then proceeds to do an extraordinarily good job of adhering to it.... Joan Aldous′s personal examples and interview excerpts drawn from other sources are very good, adding some substance to the discussion that surrounds them. These are bound to be helpful for students.'--Duane W. Crawford, Texas Tech University A unique contribution to its field, Family Careers is the first volume to examine the expectable changes in today′s families from the time the family is formed until it is dissolved. No other book covers the broad variety of families in contemporary society using a consistent theoretical approach. Joan Aldous presents the developmental approach to studying contemporary families in a clear and understandable fashion. First she presents the concepts that distinguish family development, then she compares those with other theoretical perspectives. Drawing from a diverse array of families, she gives the reader a comprehensive picture of the shifts in patterns of family interaction over time as they are influenced by their social contexts of work and school. Throughout the book there are quotations, comments, and excerpts from letters to illustrate the family lives of individuals as they actually live them. This thought-provoking volume is sure to stimulate discussion, and is highly recommended for graduate and undergraduate students in family development, advanced family theory classes, and advanced family and marriage classes.

Aldous, Joan

Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications

Pine Forge Press

Corwin Press

United States, United States of America

Thousand Oaks, Calif, California, 1996

1, 1996

Includes bibliographical references (p. 276-294) and index.

xiii, 301 pages ; 27 cm
Includes bibliographical references (pages 276-294) and index
pt. 1. The family careers perspective: 1. Following family careers ; 2. Family time and its divisions ; 3. The family as a social system ; 4. The making of family roles ; 5. Developmental tasks for families and individuals -- pt. 2. Couple relations over time: 6. Group beginnings : the establishment of intimate commitment ; 7. Couple relations and parenthood ; 8. Partner relations during the child-rearing years ; 9. Alone again : couples when children grow up ; 10. Elderly couples and the end of the family career -- pt. 3. Parent-child relations over time: First acquaintance ; 12. Child rearing in school and work contexts ; 13. A time of transitions : families with adolescents -- pt. 4. Sibling relations over time: 14. Sibling realtions from givenns to choice ; 15. A summing up

Pt. 1. The Family Careers Perspective: 1. Following Family Careers ; 2. Family Time And Its Divisions ; 3. The Family As A Social System ; 4. The Making Of Family Roles ; 5. Developmental Tasks For Families And Individuals -- Pt. 2. Couple Relations Over Time: 6. Group Beginnings : The Establishment Of Intimate Commitment ; 7. Couple Relations And Parenthood ; 8. Partner Relations During The Child-rearing Years ; 9. Alone Again : Couples When Children Grow Up ; 10. Elderly Couples And The End Of The Family Career -- Pt. 3. Parent-child Relations Over Time: First Acquaintance ; 12. Child Rearing In School And Work Contexts ; 13. A Time Of Transitions : Families With Adolescents -- Pt. 4. Sibling Relations Over Time: 14. Sibling Realtions From Givenns To Choice ; 15. A Summing Up. Joan Aldous. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 276-294) And Index.

Family Careers makes use of the developmental approach to studying families in order to present a clear, up-to-date account of the changes in families from the time they are formed until they are dissolved. Particular emphasis is given to: the influence of social contexts on patterns of family interaction over time; and the family as a social context within which individual members develop. A coherent and manageable presentation of systems theory informs the argument, and the inherent limitations of the developmental perspective are recognized

2023-06-28