Families with Futures

Noted for its interdisciplinary approach to family studies, Families with Futures provides an engaging, contemporary look at the discipline's theories, methods, essential topics, and career opportunities. Featuring strong coverage of theories and methods, readers explore family concepts and processes through a positive prism. Concepts are brought to life through striking examples from everyday family life and cutting-edge scholarship. Throughout, families are viewed as challenged but resilient. Each chapter opens with a preview of the chapter content and concludes with key terms and varied learning activities that promote critical thinking. The activities include provocative questions and exercises, projects, and interactive web activities. Boxes feature authentic voices from scholars and practitioners (including CFLEs) from a variety of disciplines including family studies, sociology, psychology, and more. These boxes provide a firsthand look at what it is like to work in the field. The book concludes with a glossary defining each chapter’s boldfaced key terms.Updated throughout, the new edition features new coverage of: The latest family theories including feminist theory and postmodernismImmigrant and transnational families in the 21st centuryPhysiology, psychology, and sociology of intimacy and sexualityEffects of recent health and other policy decisions on familiesCare giving in families, especially in later lifeFamily finances, with an emphasis on the recent economic downturnsCareer opportunities in family studies. The new Instructor’s Resource website features test questions, PowerPoint slides, chapter outlines, news bulletins of current events, hotlinks to helpful tools such as the NCFR’s Ethical Principles and Guidelines, and more.This is an ideal text for upper-level undergraduate and lower-level graduate courses in family studies, family ecology, and family science offered in departments of family and consumer sciences, human development, psychology, and sociology.

“Families with Futures is a truly innovative textbook about family relationships and change. The content is timely, the stories are relevant, and the writing is engaging. The authors expertly blend cutting-edge theory, research, and practice in ways that will delight both students and instructors.” - Katherine R. Allen, Virginia Tech, USA“Families with Futures, 2nd edition, captures the diversity across and the complexity within family systems in a way that is both accessible and authentic for undergraduate students of family science.” - Catherine Solheim, University of Minnesota, USA“Karraker & Grochowski combine strong academic knowledge with practical orientation in an outstanding way. In clear and straightforward language, specially addressed for students and professionals, the book provides the most current research on key family topics. This second edition covers, together with traditional issues of interest, emerging and increasingly more frequent new family realities and dilemmas.” - Gerardo Meil, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain“The authors have crafted an engaging and intricate introduction to the field of family science. By centering the diversity and intersectionality of family experiences in socio-political context, the authors skillfully guide readers through research and practice to show that families are knowable in their complexity and that healthy family life has many pathways.” - Tara Saathoff-Wells, University of Central Florida, USA“This is the ONLY text for family studies that I have found to be comprehensive and provide both research and application of material for students. ... We are currently using the text for [our] ... Family Theories [course]. ... [I would adopt it] without any reservations! It is an excellent text and is needed in the family field!” - Mary Ann Adams, The University of Southern Mississippi, USA

Meg Wilkes Karraker is Professor of Sociology, Family Studies, and Women’s Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. She received her PhD in Sociology　from the University of Minnesota. In addition to co-authoring Families with Futures, Dr. Karraker is the author of the highly successful text Global Families (2008).　A former Executive Officer of Sociologists for Women in Society, and a member of the American Sociological Association's Department Resources Group which consults with sociology faculty and programs around the country, in 2005 she was honored as the Aquinas Scholars Professor of the Year. Her research examines social networks among civic, religious, and other organizations serving migrant women, children, and their families.　 Dr. Karraker teaches undergraduate courses in families and family studies, sociological theory, gender, and adolescence. Janet R. Grochowski is the Marie and Robert Jackson Endowed Professor and Chair of Education at the College of Saint Benedict - Saint John’s University in Minnesota.　 She received two doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota, one in Family Social Science and Health Education Studies and the other in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Learning with an emphasis in resilience. Her research focuses on the family and health studies with special interest in youth and family resilience, global education, and determinants of family health.