The conceptualization of «families» within social sciences

Titolo Rivista SOCIOLOGIA E RICERCA SOCIALE
Autori/Curatori Matteo Zani
Anno di pubblicazione 2026 Fascicolo 2025/137
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 25 P. 5-29 Dimensione file 215 KB
DOI 10.3280/SR2025-137001
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This article examines the evolving conceptualization of family within social sciences, tracing its historical, theoretical, and empirical developments. Begin-ning with foundational contributions from Tönnies, Durkheim, Engels, Simmel and Weber, the paper explores how industrialization, urbanization, and individu-alism reshaped family structures from communal and extended forms to the nu-clear family. It highlights feminist critiques of patriarchal family models and the rise of new paradigm such as family practices. By integrating historical analyses, feminist critiques, and radical theories advocating for family abolition, this ar-ticle under-scores the shifting boundaries of what constitutes family in modern societies, including queer and blended families, and the increasing recognition of non-traditional kinship systems. It concludes by calling for an inclusive and dynamic understanding of family that reflects diverse lived experiences and chal-lenges the constraints of traditional paradigms.

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Matteo Zani, The conceptualization of «families» within social sciences in "SOCIOLOGIA E RICERCA SOCIALE " 137/2025, pp 5-29, DOI: 10.3280/SR2025-137001