CiNii Books - Negotiating family responsibilities

For some time access to publicly provided services has been shrinking and governments have been emphasizing the family as the first line of support, but how far do such policies accord with what people will provide for their relatives, and with contemporary ideas about what it is proper to expect from family members? This book examines patterns of support, both practical and financial, between adult members of family and kin groups, and focuses upon ideas about responsibility, duty and obligation within families and how far these underpin the support actually given. This text provides an insight into contemporary family life, particularly kin relationships outside the nuclear family. While many people believe that the real meaning of "family" has shrunk to the nuclear family household, there is considerable evidence to suggest that relationships with the wider kin group remain an important part of most people's lives. Based on the findings of a major study of kinship, and including lively verbatim accounts of conversations with family members, concepts of responsibility and obligation within family life are examined.

Table of Contents

Understanding family responsibilities
balancing responsibilities - dependence and independence
negotiating commitments over time
making legitimate excuses
reputations and moral identities in the negotiation of family responsibilities.

Volume: pbk. ISBN 9780415084079

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Negotiating Family Responsibilities provides a major new insight into contemporary family life, particularly kin relationships outside the nuclear family. While many people believe that the real meaning of 'family' has shrunk to the nuclear family household, there is considerable evidence to suggest that relationships with the wider kin group remain an important part of most people's lives. Based on the findings of a major study of kinship, and including lively verbatim accounts of conversations with family members concepts of responsibility and obligation within family life are examined and the authors expand theories on the nature of assistance within families and argue that it is negotiated over time rather than given automatically.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding Family Responsibilities. 2. Balancing Responsibilities: Dependence and Independence. 3. Negotiating Commitments Over Time. 4. Making Legitimate Excuses. 5. Reputations and Moral Identitiesin the Negotiation of Family Responsibilities. 6. Conclusion. Appendices

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Negotiating family responsibilities

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