Between Sex and Power Family in the World 1900-2000 [Hardcover]

The institution of the family changed hugely during the course of the twentieth century. In this major new work, G?ran Therborn provides a global history and sociology of the family as an institution and of politics within the family, focusing on three dimensions of family relations: on the rights and powers of fathers and husbands; on marriage, cohabitation and extra-marital sexuality; and on population policy. Therborn's empirical analysis uses a multi-disciplinary approach to show how the major family systems of the world have been formed and developed. Therborn concludes by assessing what changes the family might see during the next century.

This book will be essential reading for anybody with an interest in either the sociology or the history of the family.Preface Introduction: Sex, Power, and Families of the World Part 1: Patriarchy and Its Exits - and Closures 1. Modernities and Family Systems: Patriarchy around l900 2. A Long Night?s Journey into Dawn 3. The Patriarchal Burden of the 21st Century Part 2: Marriage and Mutations of the Socio-Sexual Order4. Sex and Marriage in l900 5. Marital Curvatures of the 20th Century 6. The Return of Cohabitation and the Sexual Revolution Part 3: Couples, Babies, and States7. Fertility Decline and Political Natalism 8. The Politics and the Sociology of Birth Control List of Tables A Note on Primary Sources References

...a great work of historical intellect and imagination. It is the fruit of a rare combination of gifts. Trained as a sociologist, Therborn is a highly conceptual thinker, allying the formal rigor of his discipline at its best with a command of a vast range of empirical data. The result is a powerful theoretical structure, supported by a fascinating body of evidence. In it, you can find the largest changes in human relations of modern times. - The Nation