ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1 we analysed the situation of lone parent families today and in Chapter 2 we took a broader historical approach to lone parenthood. In this chapter we take a step back from the facts and figures on lone parenthood to consider different ways of conceptualising lone parenthood. But whereas there is a wealth of sociological theory surrounding the family in general, there is little relating specifically to lone parenthood. Such theoretical approaches might help us to understand different aspects of lone parenthood such as its growth in recent years, its place in contemporary society, the experiences of lone parents and so on. This chapter applies four general sociological theories to lone parenthood. These are functionalism, Marxism, feminism and post-modernism. It then focuses on class and gender to see how these concepts can aid our understanding of lone parenthood. Ideologies around parenthood and childhood are also pertinent to this book’s theme and they are outlined in the following section. The chapter ends by discussing in detail the issues surrounding how we define lone parenthood.
