In this course, we trace the history of the American family from the 19th-century farm--in which work, medical care, and entertainment went on--to the smaller, more diverse, and subjectively defined family of the 21st century. We also explore ways in which the family acts as a "shock absorber" of many trends including immigration, the increasing social class divide, and especially the growing domination of the marketplace. Finally, we also explore the diversity of family forms associated with social class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Welcome to the Sociology of the Family! Just what is a “family?” Is it a universal human institution that carries out the same designated social functions everywhere, or does the form, function and very idea of family vary across time and space? How and why might different notions and formations of family be socially contested? This course will begin by critically appraising different popular and social scientific definitions of the family. We will examine family life in the United States today from historical and sociological perspectives, looking at the varieties of family arrangements that currently exist in American society and how they have developed and changed over time. We will consider the debate about whether such changes constitute the “decline” or “adaptation” of the family. We will look at how power dynamics and social factors such as racial/ethnic, class, and gender inequalities shape intimate familial relations, including marriage, parenthood and intergenerational connection. Finally, we will explore how other public institutions such as work, the economy, and the State influence the contours of contemporary family life."

Credit Restrictions

Students will receive no credit for Sociology 111AC after taking Sociology 111; a deficient grade in Sociology 111 may be removed by taking Sociology 111AC.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills