Individualism and Families: Equality, Autonomy and Togetherness (Paperback or Softback)

Almost all women and men claim that gender equality within their relationships is the ideal. In practice, however, equality is not predominant within many couples and families. This book develops current debates about individualisation within families – particularly how partners understand and resolve tensions between the need for togetherness and personal autonomy, and how partners view and work with increasing gender equality.

Individualism and Families is based on a large Swedish study from two of the foremost European experts on the sociology of the family. The study looks particularly at partnering, parenting, intimacy, commitments, attitudes to finances and gender divisions of labour.

Ulla Björnberg is Professor of Sociology at the University of Göteborg, Sweden and is well known internationally as an expert in the comparative sociology of family life.

Anna-Karin Kollind is Lecturer and Researcher in Family Sociology, in the Department of Sociology, University of Göteborg. She has conducted research on stepfamilies, on social history of family counselling in Sweden and, with Ulla Björnberg, on dual-earner couples.