The New Family ?

`I would recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the family, whether their interest is in constructs of "old" family values and morals, or in the "new" alternatives, and (possibly from a political point of view), threatening family. It provides food for thought for members of all these groups′ - Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology

`The essays explore the increasing diversity, both for the study of sociology and for the wider political agenda′ - International Journal of Law and the Family

Concern and debate over changes to family life have increased in the last decade, as a result of evolving employment patterns, shifting gender relations and more openness about sexual orientation. Most politicians and researchers have viewed these changes as harmful, suggesting that the family as an institution should not alter.

The `New′ Family? challenges these dominant views. Leading academics in the field consider current diverse practices in families, and reveal the lack of balance between policies based on how families should be and how they actually are, illustrating the need for a broader definition of family. This book shows the need to take fluidity and change in family arrangements seriously, rather than simply seeing change as dangerous and undesirable.

Carol Smart is Professor of Sociology at the University of Leeds. Her publications include: The Ties that Bind: Law, Marriage and the Reproduction of Patriarchal Relations (1984); Feminism and the Power of Law (1989); and Regulating Womanhood: Historical Essays on Marriage, Motherhood and Sexuality (edited, 1992).