Globalizing The Modern Family Idea

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6 families that work SPRING 2005 THE FELLOWS’ FORUM GLOBALIZING THE MODERN FAMILY IDEAL Families in the U.S. have undergone dramatic change. In the past three decades, the average size of households declined among whites and African Americans and increased among Hispanic Americans. The percentage of households headed by married couples declined from 78 percent to 53 percent in the period from 1950 to 1998 and declined from 93 percent to 73 percent among families with children. Among married working couples with children, the share of dualearning couples rose from 59 percent to 68 percent in the period from 1986 to 1998, while the share of families with only a working husband declined and the share of athome dads increased. Notable changes in family life around the world include rising ages at marriage, increasing autonomy in the selection of a spouse, smaller completed family sizes, declining rates of intergenerational coresidence, and increasing education and laborforce participation among women. Various groups have interpreted these changes as evidence of “progress” and “decline” in the quality of family life. Questions about the root causes of changing family life around the world have preoccupied prominent family scholars of our time. One theory holds that certain ideals about modern family life have dominated the historical record and have been pervasive and powerful forces of family change. Sociologist Arland Thornton argues that “developmental ideals” have influenced deeply the views and behaviors of people around the world. The four propositions of developmental idealism are that: (1) modern society is good and attainable; (2) the modern family is good and attainable; (3) the modern family is a cause and an effect of modern society; and (4) individuals are free and equal, and social relationships are based on consent. Modern societies have been
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