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Chapter 1

Throughout most of world history and in

most societies,including the United States,

newly married couples lived under the

economic protection of their parents.As

they became economically able,they were

expected to provide economic protection

for their aging parents.

Aswemovewellintothe21st century,

nuclear familiesfaceincreasingcultural

diversity,economic restructuring,a

wideningof thegapbetween therich and

thepoor,a decreasingbirth rate,an aging

society,andcontinuedemphasison

equality andjusticefor women,minorities,

andgays(Amato&Booth,1997).Asa

result of thissocialandeconomic turmoil,

thenuclear family,by necessity,is

redefiningtheimageof“rugged

individualism”which hasdominated

American familiessincetheIndustrial

Revolution—in favor of or morereliance

on both kin andnon-kin networks.In the

wakeof what a feminist scholar coinedas

“thepostmodern family condition,”(Stacy,

1996)multigenerationalbondsare

becomingasimportant asnuclear family

tiesfor well-beingandsupport over thelife

course(Bengtson,2001).

Extended Family.Asthetermimplies,the

extendedfamilyincludesthenuclearfamily

andalltheaunts,uncles,cousins,and

grandparents.Itisstilltruethatinmany

Americanfamiliesmembersof theextended

familyonlyconveneatspecialoccasions,

suchasweddings,funerals,andholidays.In

mostotherculturestoday,andthroughout

history,theextendedfamilyprovidesan

importantbaseof emotional,economic,

andsocialsupport.Manyreligionscelebrate

thevalueof extendedfamily,particularly

theelders,whoaregivenaspecialstatus

withinthefamily.Thefunctionsof boththe

nuclearandtheextendedfamilywill

continuetoevolveasfamilyconditions—

suchassingle-parentfamilies,

divorcedfamilies,remarried

families,andtheinfluxof cultures

whichviewextendedfamilyaspart

of thenuclearfamily—continueto

formthefabricofAmericanfamily

culture.

Family of Origin.Generally

speaking,thefamilyoforiginisthe

familyintowhichwearebornand

raised.Inthefamilyoforigin,family

membersfirstbecomeorientedto

theworld.Theylearnvalues,

Extended family provides an important base ofemotional, economic, and social support. developattitudes,andacquire

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