Marriage and the Family, Fall 2005

This course involves analysis of marriage and the family from a social science perspective, drawing especially on sociology and, to a lesser extent, anthropology. Such a focus necessarily includes an understanding of the origins of marriage and the family and of the particular forms of marriage and families that prevail in western society. It also includes understanding marriage and the family in cross-cultural perspective and analysis of change and variation in marriage and the family within our own society. Other topics of the course will include gender roles; marriage, divorce and remarriage; parenting; and the relationship between work, economics and the family. The course will involve development of critical thinking skills relative to course topics each of which will be analyzed in reference to a range of possible perspectives. Finally, this course seeks to develop in students the ability to articulate sociological awareness and understanding of topics both verbally and in writing and to do so in a respectful, socially responsible way.