Judith Treas, Jacqueline Scott, Martin Richards: The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Families

Abstract

The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Families, edited by Treas, Scott, and Richards, is a wonderful resource for family sociologists and demographers and essential background reading for anyone new to the field. The volume provides a set of comprehensive, up-to-date reviews on a wide array of family topics by experts on the latest research. Nearly every family topic and world region are represented, as well as a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives, although most chapters lean toward reviewing quantitative sociological research. The 27 chapters have been organized into the following sections: Global Perspectives on Families; Diversity, Inequality, and Immigration; Family Forms and Family Influences; Family Processes; Life Course Perspectives; and Families in Context. Many chapters operate as both a review of the literature and a presentation of theoretical or conceptual framework. Some chapters are noteworthy for their theoretical frameworks, such as those on health and families, social and cultural capital, and adult intergenerational relationships. Some go beyond a general review of the literature and provide important insights. In ‘‘Money Management, Gender, and Households,’’ for example, Lauer and Yodanis discuss what the pooling of resources means for the institution of marriage. The chapter on ‘‘Family Policy and Wives’ Economic Independence’’ (Mandel) examines how family policies shape the relative economic contribution of lowand high-educated women to household income. The chapter on ‘‘Transnational Families’’ (Baldassar, Kilkey, Merla, and Wilding) presents interesting case studies that brought home the concept of lives linked across space. I particularly appreciated the reviews of the literature on East