Changes, Choices, and Constraints

 

Marriages and Families, Census Update, 7e offers students a comprehensive introduction to many issues facing families in the twenty- first century.

 

The text's major theme "Changes, Choices, and Constraints" explores:

 

Contemporary changes in families and their structure 

Impacts on the choices that are available to family members

Constraints that often limit our choices

 

Through this approach, students are better able to understand what the research and statistics mean for themselves ! Marriages and Families, Census Update balances theoretical and empirical discussions with practical examples and applications. It highlights important contemporary changes in society and the family. This text is written from a sociological perspective and incorporates material from other disciplines: history, economics, social work, psychology, law, biology, medicine, family studies, women's studies, and anthropology.

 

 

More about the themes:

 

Changes

Examines how recent profound structural and attitudinal changes affect family forms, interpersonal relationships, and raising children. It reaches beyond the traditional discussions to explore racial-ethnic families, single-parent families and gay families as well as the recent scholarship by and about men, fathers, and grandfathers. Contemporary American marriages and families vary greatly in structure, dynamics, and cultural heritage. Thus, discussions of gender roles, social class, race, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation are integrated throughout this book. To further strengthen students understanding of the growing diversity among today's families, the author included a series of boxes that focus on families from many cultures.

 

Choices

On the individual level, family members have many more choices today than ever before. People feel freer to postpone marriage, to cohabit, or to raise children as single parents. As a result, household forms vary greatly, ranging from commuter marriages to those in which several generations live together under the same roof.

 

Constraints

Although family members choices are more varied today, we also face greater macro- level constraints. Our options are increasingly limited, for example, by government policies. Economic changes often shape family life and not vice versa. Political and legal institutions also have a major impact on most families in tax laws, welfare reform, and even in defining what a family is. Because laws, public policies, and religious groups affect our everyday lives, the author has framed many discussions of individual choices within the larger picture of the institutional constraints that limit our choices.

 

To learn more about the new edition, click here to visit the showcase site.

 

 

What is the Pearson Census Update Edition?

 

The Census Update edition incorporates 2010 Census data into a course–simply and easily. The components of the Census Update Program are as follows:

• Census Update Edition - Features fully updated data throughout the text–including all charts and graphs–to reflect the results of the 2010 Census. This edition also includes a reproduction of the 2010 Census Questionnaire for your students to explore in detail.
• 2010 Census Update Primer - A brief seven-chapter overview of the Census, including important information about the Constitutional mandate, research methods, who is affected by the Census, and how data is used. Additionally, the primer explores key contemporary topics such as race and ethnicity, the family, and poverty. The primer can be packaged with any Pearson text at no additional cost, and is available via MySocLab, MySocKit, and MySearchLab. The primer can also be purchased standalone.
  • 2010 Census Update Primer Instructor’s Manual with Test Bank  - Includes explanations of what has been updated, in-class activities, homework activities associated with the MyLabs and MyKits, discussion questions for the primer, and test questions related to the primer.
• MyFamilyLab - Gives students the opportunity to explore the methods and data and apply the results in a dynamic interactive online environment. It includes:
  • primary source readings relevant to the Census
  • an online version of the 2010 Census Update Primer
  • a series of activities using 2010 Census results
  • video clips explaining and exploring the Census

This Books a la Carte Plus Edition is an unbound, three-hole punched version of the textbook and provides students the opportunity to personalize their book by incorporating their own notes and taking only the portion of the book they need to class - all at an affordable price. It comes packaged with an access code to MyFamilyLab, a fully integrated multimedia eText that helps students study for exams, explore concepts from the texts, write research paper, and better understand their own attitudes and beliefs.