Synopsis

Building upon the success of two previous bestselling editions, the Third Edition of Family Theories continues to be the ideal resource for readers wishing to develop an understanding of sophisticated ideas about families and marriages. Authors James White and David Klein have updated and revised each chapter based on readers’ suggestions and on developments in the area of family sociology and family studies. An incisive, thorough introduction to current and traditional theories of the family, this text balances the diversity and richness of a broad scope of scholarly work.

New to the Third Edition

• Starts with a reorganized introductory chapter: The opening chapter has been restructured for increased clarity and to offer a better guide to utilizing theory to guide research and practice.
• Introduces a new chapter: Previous editions included seven major theoretical frameworks to explain variation in family life. The Third Edition welcomes the addition of an eighth framework on functionalist theory.
• Includes material on postmodernism: By placing information on postmodernism within the chapter on the feminist framework, the authors allow readers to see more clearly how these two intellectual movements relate to the study of families.
• Offers updates throughout: Significant additions to the “Variations” section of all chapters have been made to capture new theoretical developments.
• Restores several meta-theories: Deleted from the last chapter in the previous edition, several meta-theories, dealing with the type of causation, treatment of time, and the level of analysis, have been added back in this new edition.

Intended Audience

This text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses such as Family Theories, Family Systems & Theory, and Sociology of the Family in departments of family studies, sociology, and human development

Booknews

White (social work and family studies, U. of British Columbia, Canada) and Klein (sociology, U. of Notre Dame, US) explain the reasoning behind a variety of theoretical frameworks dealing with the family. Each chapter discusses intellectual traditions, focus and scope assumptions, concepts, propositions, variations, empirical applications, implications for intervention, and critiques. The theoretical frameworks discussed include social exchange and choice, symbolic interaction, family life course development, systems, conflict, feminist, and ecological theories. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Biography

David M. Klein is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. His current research is on relationship formation, assessment, and dissolution. He co-edited the Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research, and has served as Chair and Archivist of the Theory Construction and Research Methodology Workshop. He also has been Treasurer of the National Council on Family Relations, and Chair of its Research and Theory Section.

James M. White is a Professor in the School of Social Work and Family Studies at the University of British Columbia and resides with his wife and three daughters in Vancouver, Canada. His research interests include family development as well as marital interaction and communication. He is the author of Dynamics of Family Development (published in the U.S. in 1991 and translated into Japanese in 1994), as well as numerous articles that have appeared in the Journal of Family Issues, Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, Journal of Marriage and Family, and elsewhere. His authored and co-authored book chapters include a chapter with R. H. Rodgers on family development in the Sourcebook of Family Theories & Methods (1993). He has served as referee for numerous journals in family relations and public health and is an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Public Health, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, and The International Encyclopedia of Family Relationships. He is a past-president of the Northwest Council on Family Relations, whose membership includes academics, practitioners, and therapists from the states and provinces of the Pacific Northwest.