Author Description

Product Description This life-course analysis of family development focuses on the social dynamics among family members. It features parent-child relationships in a larger context, by examining the help exchange between kin and nonkin and the intergenerational transmission of family characteristics. Review “[T]he book is a major contribution to the study of family sociology…. Alice and Peter Rossi have dedicated over five years to designing, conducting, and analyzing this comprehensive study of parent-child relationships, and family scholars are sure to spend at least as long pondering the outcome of their labors.” —Teresa M. Cooney, Social Forces “[T]his book should be of interest to most sociologists concerned with family relations over the life course. The results of this program of research expand our understanding of the parent-child relationship substantially, and the book deserves attention.” —Paul R. Amato, Journal of Marriage and the Family “Books by prominent persons often fail to live up to the promise provided by the reputations of the authors, but this one by two former presidents of the American Sociological Association (the product of their first major collaboration in almost forty years of marriage to one another) does not disappoint. Rather, it is likely to set the direction of research on its topic for many years…. [O]verall excellence and… extraordinary contribution it makes to family sociology. Anyone who can read any of the book’s chapters without getting dozens of ideas for important research probably should not be engaged in family-related social research. Indeed, one could make a career of developing and testing hypotheses from the data, ideas, and insights in this book, and that is probably the ultimate compliment that can be paid to the authors of a research monograph.” —Norval D. Glenn, Contemporary Sociology “As experienced researchers, the Rossis are very much aware of many of the methodological and substantive limitations of their works…. But the limitations of the Rossis study are far outweighed by their creative use of this rich source of data on perceived normative kinship obligations, the nature of intergenerational similarities and differences, and pattersn of sentiment and behavior with respect to members of other generations. Explaining the sources of these patterns represents the challenge, not only for these authors, but for future generations who will analyze and reanalyze these and other three-generational data.” —Duane F. Alwin, American Journal of Sociology About the Author Peter H. Rossi (1921-2006) was professor of sociology emeritus at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, director of research at the Social and Demographic Research Institute, and past president of the American Sociological Association. Known as one of the most eminent of American social scientists, Rossi authored over forty books and two hundred scholarly articles. His works include Down and Out in America: The Origins of Homelessness; Just Punishments: Federal Guidelines and Public Opinion Compared; Natural Hazards and Public Choice;and Armed and Considered Dangerous. Alice S. Rossi (1922-2009) was Harriet Martineau Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a founder of the National Organization of Women. In addition she served as the seventy-fourth president of the American Sociological Association. Some of her works include Gender and the Life Course, Feminists in Politics, and Sexuality Across the Life Course.