Contemporary Parenting and Parenthood: From News Headlines to New Research - Hardcover

by Michelle Janning (Editor)

Headlines from news sources are combined with the latest and best social science research to offer scholars, practitioners, and parents a much-needed source for understanding contemporary American parenthood.

News and social media headlines abound with contradictory stories about parents, from tales of neglect to fear of helicopter parenting. What readers know about parenting and parenthood can stem from misinformation and oversimplification.

In Contemporary Parenting and Parenthood, a wide variety of contributors share research on topics ranging from international adoption to technology to talking with children about racial issues. Scholars, students, parents, and practitioners alike will find that this book breaks new ground in terms of its timely approach, its spotlight on current topics, and its attention to thinking through exaggerated and conflicting media claims about contemporary parenting. Importantly, the book focuses on both parenting, the lived experiences of parents, and parenthood, the social and cultural construction of parenthood in today's world, making it a resource for those interested in the truth of the everyday lives of American parents.

Author Biography

Michelle Y. Janning, PhD, is professor of sociology at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, and board member of the Council on Contemporary Families. She is author of The Stuff of Family Life: How Our Homes Reflect Our Lives.