Family Configurations develops current scholarship on families and intimate lives by demonstrating that family relationships, far from being fluid and inconsequential, are more structured and committed than ever. By applying social network methods to uncover the relational patterns of contemporary families, this book draws on recent developments in family sociology, social network analysis and kinship studies to present a fascinating interdisciplinary approach to the family.

Eric D. Widmer is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland

Chapter 1 IntroductionFrom the Family Institution to Family Configurations; Chapter 1a A Configurational Perspective on Families; Chapter 2 Who Are My Family Members?; Chapter 3 Family Social Capital; Chapter 4 Family Conflicts; Chapter 5 Post-divorce Families; Chapter 6 Families and Psychiatric Problems; Chapter 7 Short-term Changes in Families; Chapter 8 Family Trajectories; Chapter 9 ConclusionIndividualized Families;