3 credits
Prerequisite: Family course or instructor consent
Course Description :
Survey of the major theoretical models about families, with special emphasis on sociohistorical context, ways of evaluating theories, and to how these theories have evolved in dialogue with one another.
Course Objectives / Goals:
Understand the theoretical bases for family science.
Be sensitive to the contextual issues that shape the origins and development of major theoretical frameworks.
Critically evaluate family theories, including the theories' presuppositions and underlying values
Understand feminist and multicultural perspectives on family theories.
Apply major theoretical frameworks to research areas in the family field.
Workload:
At least 9 hours per week, including class time
Required Readings :
Sourcebook of Family Theories and Methods: A Contextual Approach, edited by Pauline Boss, William J. Doherty, Ralph LaRossa, Walter Schumm, and Suzanne Steinmetz. New York: Plenum, 1992.
