Probleme einer Theorie der gesellschaftlichen Ausdifferenzierung der privatisierten modernen Kernfamilie / Societal differentiation and the family

Abstract

Abstract The starting point of this paper is the deficit in macrosociological theorizing on the family. It suggests to discuss the various ‘classical’ concepts on the structural change of the family together with the theory of societal differentiation (I). The concept of societal differentiation of the modern nuclear family as such is introduced; here the focus is on relative autonomy, the functional specialization and the ‘thematical reduction’ of the nuclear family (II). This is followed by a discussion of recent historical family research, in which the necessity of considering the results of the historical science of literature is stressed (III). Finally, the difficult relationship of the nuclear family and kinship is looked into. With this, the criticism of PARSONS’ thesis of the ‘isolated nucelar family’ - customary in the empirical family research - is rejected (IV).

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