Looking at how the family is represented by the media, and by scrutinizing the manner in which it is regulated, this book uncovers the ways in which academic research and welfare policy have colluded with political rhetoric and the popular media to re-invent a mythical ideal family.
Representing the Family : combines perspectives from a range of theories including media and cultural studies, sociology, and social history to show how certain types of family life are pathologised; highlights the discrepancies between contemporary representations of the `ideal′ family and lived experience; compares the British experience with that of the United States and Australia.
Representing the Family provides a rich and an engaging illustration of the ways in which the media produce meaning. It also demonstrates the ways in which critical social issues are played out across a range of discursive sites – academia, politics, and public policy.
Table of Content
Representing `The Family′
Myths of Familial Origins
The `Golden Age′ of the Modern Family?
Dysfunctional Families
Hybrid Families and Celebrations of Difference
Discourses of Family Crisis
Conclusion
About the author
Deborah Chambers is a Reader in Sociology of Culture and Communication, Department of English and Media Studies, at Nottingham Trent University.
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