Australian Families: a comparative perspective

Australian Families examines families in Australia today, mapping out changing family structures, relationships and social networks. The book moves beyond a basic sociological account, which focuses on marriage and children, to consider a wider range of social institutions and relationships including the economy, the state, religion, the professions, community and extended kinship.

List of illustrations
List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgements
Preface
1.       Sociology of the family
2.       History of the family
3.       Society
4.       Social networks
5.       Relationships and marriage
6.       Children
7.       Family transformation 
References
Index

• This is a comprehensive introduction to the sociology of the family in Australia.
• The book presents and evaluates competing interpretations of the family in Australia today.
• The book has a comparative focus and compares the Australian family with families from other countries in Asia, North America, Europe, New Zealand and the Middle East.
• Unlike many of its competitors, this book is single authored and maintains a coherent framework throughout.
• Each chapter of the book begins with a small vignette that highlights topical issues that relate to the particular chapter.
• The book moves beyond a sociology of the family that only considers marriage and children to a broader perspective that includes social institutions and networks such as the economy, the state, religion, the professions, community and extended kinship.
• The book is varied and interesting; for instance it includes case studies on the wealthy and Aboriginals.
• The book covers a wide diversity of family forms including gay families, single parent families, step families, de-facto families, migrant families and traditional families.

• Dr Michael Gilding is senior lecturer in Sociology at Swinburne University of Technology. He is the author of The Making and Breaking of the Australian Family published by Allen and Unwin.