Noteworthy Families stands as a seminal collection rooted in the nascent field of eugenics, a movement that significantly influenced the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The anthology navigates through the biographical sketches of notable families to explore the hereditary aspects of genius, thereby providing a diverse array of literary styles ranging from the analytical to the narratively engaging. It is notable for its attempt to blend scientific inquiry with literary exposition, thereby occupying a unique place in the annals of both scientific and literary history. The diversity within the collection reflects a broader discourse on heredity versus environment, making it a significant piece for scholars and enthusiasts alike. Francis Galton and Edgar Schuster's collaborative effort in Noteworthy Families brings together a range of intellectual achievements and hypotheses that shaped the early discourse on genetic inheritance and eugenics. Their backgroundsGalton as a polymath influential in the development of early psychological testing and statistics, and Schusters contributions to geneticsmirror the collection's foundational premise. Aligning with both the historical context and the scientific zeitgeist of their times, their work exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach that marked much of early genetic research. The anthology thus offers a fascinating glimpse into the historical and cultural dynamics that informed early 20th-century scientific investigation. This collection is essential for anyone interested in the intersections of literature, history, and science. It offers an unparalleled window into the early conversations surrounding genetics, eugenics, and the legacy of intellectual achievement. Furthermore, Noteworthy Families invites readers to critically engage with the ideas presented, fostering a deeper understanding of how scientific beliefs are influenced by and reflect their social and historical contexts. For scholars, students, and general readers alike, this anthology serves not only as a compendium of influential familial legacies but also as a testament to the evolving discourse on heredity and genius.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book examines, through a multi-disciplinary lens, the possibilities offered by relationships and family forms that challenge the nuclear family ideal, and some of the arguments that recommend or disqualify these as legitimate units in our societies.That children should be conceived naturally, born to and raised by their two young, heterosexual, married to each other, genetic parents; that this relationship between parents is also the ideal relationship between romantic or sexual partners; and that romance and sexual intimacy ought to be at the core of our closest personal relationships - all these elements converge towards the ideal of the nuclear family. The authors consider a range of relationship and family structures that depart from this ideal: polyamory and polygamy, single and polyparenting, parenting by gay and lesbian couples, as well as families created through assisted human reproduction.

Winner of the 2014 Bonnie Ritter Book Award Winner of the 2013 James W. Carey Media Research Award As unprecedented waves of young, rural women journey to cities in China, not only to work, but also to “see the world” and gain some autonomy, they regularly face significant institutional obstacles as well as deep-seated anti-rural prejudices. Based on immersive fieldwork, Cara Wallis provides an intimate portrait of the social, cultural, and economic implications of mobile communication for a group of young women engaged in unskilled service work in Beijing, where they live and work for indefinite periods of time. While simultaneously situating her work within the fields of feminist studies, technology studies, and communication theory, Wallis explores the way in which the cell phone has been integrated into the transforming social structures and practices of contemporary China, and the ways in which mobile technology enables rural young women—a population that has been traditionally marginalized and deemed as “backward” and “other”—to participate in and create culture, allowing them to perform a modern, rural-urban identity. In this theoretically rich and empirically grounded analysis, Wallis provides original insight into the co-construction of technology and subjectivity as well as the multiple forces that shape contemporary China.

This collection of essays on the family in India covers a wide range of theoretical methodological, substantive and policy issues. Professor Shah s work challenges many popularly held beliefs about the family in India.

The U.S. military has been continuously engaged in foreign conflicts for over two decades. The strains that these deployments, the associated increases in operational tempo, and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the people who depend on them and who support them as they support the nation â€" their families. Family members provide support to service members while they serve or when they have difficulties; family problems can interfere with the ability of service members to deploy or remain in theater; and family members are central influences on whether members continue to serve. In addition, rising family diversity and complexity will likely increase the difficulty of creating military policies, programs and practices that adequately support families in the performance of military duties. Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society examines the challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families, as well as lessons to be learned from these experiences. This report offers recommendations regarding what is needed to strengthen the support system for military families.

In this accessible, engaging, and up-to-date course book, Susan L. Brown employs ethnographic vignettes and demographic data to introduce students to twenty-first century perspectives on contemporary families. Appropriate as a primary or secondary text in classes on family and marriage, this book probes momentous shifts in the definition of family, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage and policy debates on welfare reform and work-family issues. Brown also explores the rise in nonmarital childbearing and single-mother families and the decline of “traditional” marriage by delving into the historical roots of family change, current trends of family formation and dissolution, and the implications of family change for the well-being of adults and children. With a lens toward socioeconomic inequality and racial-ethnic variation in family patterns, Families in America illustrates how family diversity is now the norm. The Sociology in the Twenty-First Century series introduces students to a range of sociological issues of broad interest in the United States today, with each volume addressing topics such as family, race, immigration, gender, education, and social inequality. These books—intended for classroom use—will highlight findings from current, rigorous research and demographic data while including stories about people’s experiences to illustrate major themes in an accessible manner. Learn more about the Sociology in the Twenty-First Century Series.