ABSTRACT
The chapter discusses the historical background of families and family life and how, from the late twentieth century onwards, they changed dramatically. Defining what is meant by ‘family’ has become increasingly difficult despite the fact that the term is used across many different ethnic and cultural groups and is readily understood by most people. Major changes in marriage rates, age of marriage, divorce, and fertility rates are documented over a period of years. A major change has been the growth of intimate relationships, which see friends-as-family or family-as-friends. The chapter discusses some of the issues arising from divorce, the effects of divorce on children, and the rise of single-parent families. This chapter will also discuss the problems arising from the gendered division of household labour and the challenges faced by time-poor families.
