ASA Family Section

Who We Are...

The purpose of the Section on Family is to encourage the development of sociological perspectives on families, to bring together those who study and teach about families, and to consider the implications of such analyses for public policy, politics and professional practice. The section seeks to foster understanding of family structures and practices, of differences between and within families and of those social institutions and forces -- race, class, and gender; the economy, culture, social movements, the law, and demographic trends -- that shape families or are shaped by them.

Latest News & Announcements

“Biosocial Research Contributions to Understanding Family Processes and Problems,” Penn State’s 17th Annual Symposium on Family Issues, will be held October 8-9, 2009 on the University Park campus. Conceptual shifts and technological breakthroughs have placed new emphasis on the importance of combining nature and nurture to understand family processes and problems. The link between biology and behavior is no longer regarded as a simple, unidirectional, cause and effect process. Today’s researchers emphasize bi-directional relations between physiological processes and behavior. The goal of this symposium is to stimulate conversation among scholars who construct and use biosocial models, as well as among those who want to know more about biosocial processes. Researchers interested in both biological and social/environmental influences on behavior, health, and development will be represented. The Symposium is supported by NICHD. For information and registration, visit http://www.pop.psu.edu/events/symposium/2009.htm.