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 EditionStarts 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 AudienceThis 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

Product Description: Advancing Family Theories explores two contemporary theories of the family - rational choice theory and transition theory. These diametrically different approaches illuminate what differing theories reveal about families. The book also discusses how meta-theories can assist in building and refining theory and offers insight on the "understanding versus explanation" debate...read more

Product Description: Offering students both an understanding of what family theory is and a survey of six major theoretical frameworks developed by key social scientists to explain patterns of family life, this book is an ideal introductory textbook in family studies...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Product Description: Over the last two decades, significant advances have been made in the social sciences that bear directly on the theory of family development. Among these are: an increased awareness that the family can be discussed on several different levels and each of these levels of analysis requires separate theoretical and conceptual treatment; the role of mathematical models in theory construction; and a refinement and application of dynamic modeling...read more