ABSTRACT
In the wake of modernization and cultural change, existing marks of individuality and autonomy in family life-as well as in other fields of existence-have been strengthened (Giddens 1991, Beck 1992). This has made the family an exposed unit. International data reveal an increasing frequency of marital crises, as does Manuell Castells’s (1997) overview of the ongoing transformation of modern societies. His suggestion of the potential end of patriarchalism encourages questions about the premises for such an outcome. In this chapter, family transformations will be traced from within the family unit
A common approach in current family research is to view the family as a playground for negotiations, as elaborated more thoroughly by Björnberg and Kollind in this volume. However, we are far from the optimistic notions on “symmetrical families” put forth by Young and Willmott (1973) and their prediction of increased equality between men and women. These expectations have been replaced by critical and sophisticated studies, extremely diverse in theoretical and methodological terms.
