Sociology

Product Description

'O'Donovan's volume will be of great interest to students and teachers of political sociology and family sociology, as well as social policy and family law. An exciting addition to the standard texts.' Social Policy

'I applaud Professor O' Donovan's theoretical eclecticism. ...]This book will make you think.' International Journal of Law and the Family

'This is a wonderful book-gives students an alternative perspective.' Lucy Anderson, Kings College London

In this radical critique, Professor O'Donovan challenges conventional textbooks which assume that marriage is the essential feature of family life and that the patriarchal unit remains dominant. She shows how the key players in family law discourse - women and children - are largely excluded and argues that it is the birth of children, rather than marriage, which is the constitutive element of the family.

About The Author

Katherine O'Donovan is Professor of Family Law and Legal Theory at the University of Kent at Canterbury. She is the author of many books and articles on family law and feminist legal theory.