Cross-cultural Perspectives on Families, Work, and Change


Book Description

An intriguing study on families and their changing roles, Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Families, Work, and Change provides fresh viewpoints on factors that have an impact on family life and relationships. This thematic volume, with chapters from scholars in Italy, Australia, Israel, Jordan, West Germany, Yugoslavia, Norway, and Finland, is truly international and covers a variety of substantive concerns. Among these is the concern for new familial models which will meld both the individual and the whole into a viable family entity capable of providing for the wishes, needs, and aspirations of the whole and individual members of a family. Discussing various concepts relating to family structure in lieu of the recent shift toward gender equity and the greater acceptance of varied forms of families and lifestyles, this book carefully links the most supportive and nurturing components of modern society with tried and true components of traditional cultures and systems. The chapters take a conceptual approach, focusing on applications and future needs, policies, and problems surrounding the family. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Families, Work, and Change represents the increasing shift of mothers to professionals with chapters on increasing female employment and its effect on family life. The much-needed search for explanations of family and society change and for new family models is a common thread throughout the book. In reading this insightful work, family and marriage counselors, students and academicians in family studies, researchers, social workers, and psychologists will see new ways of perceiving families in their critical roles over generations of time.




Families, History And Social Change


Book Description

One of the prevailing myths about the American family is that there once existed a harmonious family with three generations living together, and that this "ideal" family broke down under the impact of urbanization and industralization. The essays in this volume challenge this myth and provide dramatic revisions of simplistic notions about change in the American family. Based on detailed research in a variety of sources, including extensive oral history interviews of ordinary people, these essays examine major changes in family life, dispel myths about the past, and offer new directions in research and interpretation. The essays cover a wide spectrum of issues and topics, ranging from the organization of the family and household, to the networks available to children as they grow up, to the role of the family in the process of industralization, to the division of labor in the family along gender lines, and to the relations between the generations in the later years of life. While discussing family relations in the past and revising prevailing notions of social change, these interdisciplinary essays also provide important perspectives on the present.




Families Across Cultures


Book Description

Contemporary trends such as increased one-parent families, high divorce rates, second marriages and homosexual partnerships have all contributed to variations in the traditional family structure. But to what degree has the function of the family changed and how have these changes affected family roles in cultures throughout the world? This book attempts to answer these questions through a psychological study of families in thirty nations, carefully selected to present a diverse cultural mix. The study utilises both cross-cultural and indigenous perspectives to analyse variables including family networks, family roles, emotional bonds, personality traits, self-construal, and 'family portraits' in which the authors address common core themes of the family as they apply to their native countries. From the introductory history of the study of the family to the concluding indigenous psychological analysis of the family, this book is a source for students and researchers in psychology, sociology and anthropology.




Cross-Cultural Family Research and Practice


Book Description

Cross-Cultural Family Research and Practice broadens the theoretical and clinical perspectives on couple and family cross-cultural research with insights from a diverse set of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, communications, economics, and more. Examining topics such as family migration, acculturation and implications for clinical intervention, the book starts by providing an overarching conceptual framework, then moves into a comparison of countries and cultures, with an overview of cross-cultural studies of the family across nations from a range of specific disciplinary perspectives. Other sections focus on acculturation, migrating/migrated families and their descendants, and clinical practice with culturally diverse families. Studies cultural influences in couple and family relationships Features a broadly interdisciplinary perspective Looks at how cultural differences affect how families are structured and function Explores why certain immigrant groups adapt better to new countries than others Discusses why certain countries are better at integrating immigrants than others




Intergenerational Relations


Book Description

Population ageing today affects most industrialised countries, and it will have an impact on many facets of the social system. Intergenerational relationships will play a key role in dealing with the demographical and societal change. This book provides innovative views in the multidisciplinary research field of intergenerational family relations in society, with a focus on Europe. Different, but complementary, perspectives are integrated in one volume bringing together international scholars from sociology, psychology and economics. The book's chapters are grouped into three thematic sections which cover conceptual issues, multigenerational and cross-cultural perspectives, as well as applied issues. Implications for research, policy and practice are addressed and suggestions for future directions are discussed. By raising recent discussions on controversial issues, this book will stimulate the current discourse at various levels. Intergenerational relations in society and family will be equally interesting for researchers, advanced-level students and stakeholders in the fields of social policy, population ageing and intergenerational family relationships.




Work and Family


Book Description

The entrance of women into managerial positions in significant numbers brings work and family issues to center stage, shifting the spotlight from issues of entry and equality of access to the consideration of the work-family conflicts and the difficulties posed on female managers. Looking at new approaches to enhance the work-family interface individually and in the firm, Work and Family: An International Research Perspective: *provides an overview on the antecedents of work-family conflict and the major consequences of work-family conflict, for well-being, productivity, and the strength of the relationship with the firm; *discusses the migrant's work and family experiences in terms of the demands, opportunities, and constraints they face and the role of work-family culture in reconciling the demands of work and family in organizations; *presents descriptive data concerning the linkages between work-family pressure and several known correlates and the differences in reported levels of each of these variables; *explores the work-life balance challenges and opportunities created by global assignments; *examines the work-family interface of the Western model and urban sub-saharan Africa; *emphasizes the importance of organizational change to the dynamics of work-family policies; and *highlights the progress in moving the field toward an open-systems perspective. Written by well-known contributors, this book offers international research in order to test the models mostly developed in the United States. In addition, it develops new models to capture the complexity and diversity of work-family experiences around the globe and explores cross-cultural topics.




Children's Places


Book Description

Children's Places examines the ways in which children and adults, from their different vantage-points in society, negotiate the 'proper place' of children in both social and spatial terms. It looks at some of the recognised constructions of children, including perspectives from cultures that do not distinguish children as a distinct category of people, as well as examining contexts for them, from schools and kindergartens to inner cities and war-zones. The result is a much-needed insight into the notions of inclusion and exclusion, the placement and displacement of children within generational ranks and orders, and the kinds of places that children construct for themselves. Based on in-depth ethnographic research from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, Australia and New Zealand.




Cultural Diversity and Families


Book Description

Cultural Diversity and Families: Expanding Perspectives breaks new ground by investigating how concepts of cultural diversity have shaped the study of families from theoretical and applied perspectives. Authors Bahira Sherif Trask and Raeann R. Hamon move the dialogue about culturally diverse families to a new level by topically discussing the issues affecting culturally diverse families rather than organizing the information by racial and or ethnic groups. Key Features: Investigates the impact of cultural diversity on the study of families: In order to transcend simplistic categorizations that have juxtaposed White families in opposition to families of color and vice versa, this book delineates the increasing cultural diversity of American families and examines the impact of these demographic changes for the social sciences. Emphasizes the full range of cultural aspects: The book consciously emphasizes cultural aspects, not just ethnicity, but also socioeconomic status, gender, religion, etc. over racial impacts on family life so as not to reinforce the myth that race is a biological truth. By sharing unique family experiences across groups, the book enhances understanding, directs future family research, and serves these families through responsive policy and practice. Offers more coverage of culturally diverse families than any other text: Divided into three parts, this comprehensive text first sets the stage of historical, current, and projected demographic trends pertaining to American families; explores issues facing culturally diverse families from a thematic perspective; and discusses of the impact of cultural diversity for family theory, research, service delivery, and public policy. Intended Audience: This is an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses such as Families in a Multicultural Society, Ethnic Minority Families, and Cultural Diversity in American Families in the departments of Human Development & Family Studies, Sociology, and Family Social Work.




Family, Self, and Human Development Across Cultures


Book Description

Reflecting author Çigdem Kagitçibasi's influential work over the last two decades, this new edition examines human development, the self, and the family in a cultural context. It challenges the existing assumptions in mainstream western psychology about the nature of individuals. The author proposes a new model — the "Autonomous-Related Self" — which expands on existing theory by demonstrating how culture influences self development. The development of competence is examined from a contextual perspective, with a view towards global urbanization which is creating increasingly similar lifestyles around the world. The implications of this perspective are discussed extensively, particularly early intervention policy implications related to promoting human competence in immigration and acculturation. Rich in both theory and application, each topic is introduced with a historical antecedent and earlier research before current work is discussed. This new edition also features: a new theoretical perspective that integrates cultural variation with universal human development trajectories in the context of social change, globalization, and immigration; two new chapters on "Parenting and the Development of the Autonomous Related Self" and "Immigration and Acculturation"; a more student-friendly approach with boxed stories, summary and main point reviews, discussion questions, and an extensive bibliography in each chapter; and a comprehensive glossary of all the book’s key terms for a quick reference. Intended as a graduate or advanced undergraduate level text for courses addressing cross-cultural psychology taught in a variety of departments including developmental, community, family, and educational psychology, this comprehensive volume will also appeal to researchers interested in issues of human development in a socio-cultural context.




Leadership and Change Management


Book Description

A leader’s role in the management of change is a critical issue for successful outcomes of strategic initiatives. Globalization and economic instability have prompted an increase in organizational changes related to downsizing and restructuring in order to improve financial performance and organizational competitiveness. Researchers agree that a leader’s inability to fully understand what is needed in order to guide their organization through successful change can be a reason for failure. Proper planning and management of change can reduce the likelihood of failure, promote change effectiveness, and increase employee engagement. Yet, change in organizations must be viewed as a continuous activity that affects both organizational and individual outcomes. If change management can be considered as an event induced by socio-cultural factors, the cultural variable gains greater significance when applied to the quality of the relationship between a leader and their team. Many organizations today are on the verge of internationalization. It is here that the cultural context can affect behaviors and, in the same way, leadership style. The research presented in this book by an eminent group of scholars explores the influence of culture – ethnic, regional, religious – on how leaders manage change within organizations.