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Families: Celebration and Hope in a World of Change
Families Celebration and Hope in a World of Change Author:Jo Boyden, Maggie Black, Wendy Davies The family stands in a crucial, central position. It faces both inward to the individual and outward to society. Almost all of us have the experience of a family and our entire lives are affected by what our families invested in us, or indeed failed to provide. This book paints a vivid portrait of the conditions and concerns of today's famil... more »ies throughout the world. The many different forms and roles of families are celebrated -- a mirror of the rich diversity of human cultures. And in a rapidly changing world families are changing too: family size is getting smaller; up to one-third of families are headed by a lone mother; formalized marriage is losing its status while divorce is on the increase; more people are choosing to remain childless or live alone.
Families illuminates these enormous changes in society, and emphasizes the need for a more creative approach by policy makers to strengthen families and avert social crisis. By focusing on the relationships, rights, and responsibilities of its members -- young and old, men and women, sick and disabled people -- it presents a unique perspective on the family as a vital, evolving institution. « less