Family Policies

The Changing Nature of the Family and Its Influence on Policy Formation

The way in which the family is defined has implications on how family policies are formulated and how resources are allocated and distributed. Until relatively recently, discussions of the sociology of family life have focused on the structure and function of the family unit in society. Families have been defined in the literature in terms of their composition, the functions they perform, or the practices in which family members are involved. Some approaches to understanding the family include functionalism, socialism, feminism, the new right, economic rationalism, moral conservatism, social liberalism, postmodernism, queer theory, and individualization.

Families have also been described in terms of the relationships found within them. They have been called extended families, nuclear families, blended families, or single-parent families. The shift that has taken place in discussions about the family has been away from these approaches, to incorporate a postmodern understanding of family relationships. In the work of key researchers such as Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck, Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim, and Anthony Giddens, individual choice is increasingly seen as pivotal to the formation of meaningful, intimate relationships. The concept of family is therefore no longer exclusively understood as based on biological connections or marriage, but has widened to include a broader discussion of relationships between men, women, and children in family groups. Families of choice, such as those formed by nonrelated adults or same-sex couples with or without children, are reflected in the growing diversity of family forms.

Family policies are formulated using a definition of the family found in a particular society. Tensions may arise for policymakers when deciding which definition of family to use from the many variations that exist. Whatever definition of the family is chosen necessarily results in other definitions being rejected. This means that legitimacy will be bestowed on the chosen definition(s) and withheld from the other views presented. The choice of family definition, therefore, has major implications for family policies, as resources are often allocated based on a particular definition of the family group. Thus, family policy may not be a true reflection of the range of family types found in a society at a given time but may require further discussion in order to develop policies that reflect the varied and changing nature of families.

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