American Families Past and Present: Social Perspectives on Transformations by Susan M. Ross - Book Report/Review Example

American Families Past and Present: Social Perspectives on Transformations by Susan M. Ross Table of Contents A.Introduction 2 B. Subject under Study 3 C. What Worked or Did Not Work 5 D. Conclusion 6 A. Introduction Dr. Susan M. Ross is a sociology professor in Lycoming College from the year 1998. Dr. Ross obtained Ph.D. degree from the New Hampshire University. In the curriculum of Lycoming College, she was involved in looking after the ‘Women’s and Gender Studies Program, ‘the Sociology-Anthropology Department’ along with the ‘Interdisciplinary Criminal Justice-Crimonology Department’. She had obtained teaching awards from the University of New Hampshire as well as Lycoming College for her contribution made towards the respective field. Additionally, in Alpha Delta International Sociology Honor Society, she acts as a faculty advisor (Lycoming College, 2011). Dr. Ross is interested in the subject of sociology and also involved in conducting further researches in the same subject. Additionally, Dr. Ross has researched in this subject with the objective of obtaining adequate information in relation to the social issues that often face by the people in the context of changing social environment. In this regard, she conducts her study in the field of sociology for the purpose of ascertaining the social control issues that pertain within family life. She desires to determine the impact of several aspects relating to social institutions that include medicine as well as science, law and war on family life (Ross, 2006: 1-4). Dr. Ross has written the book ‘American Families Past and Present: Social Perspectives on Transformations’ with the intention of signifying the impact that social science imposes in every aspect of an individual life. In this regard, the book has been written for identifying the family life of the American in the past and recognizing the changes that have been made in the society. Contextually, the author has made immense contribution in determining the futuristic impact of the changes that might be imposed in the social life of the Americans. In this respect, the author tries to depict the disastrous effects that the social changes have in the family life of the people belonging to America (Ross, 2006: 1-5). B. Subject under Study According to Ross (2006), the family life of the American people can be apparently identified to get influenced from several factors in the present day context. The changes in the social life of the American people can be revealed from the mix observed in single-parent families, nuclear families, same-sex couples, childless-by-choice marriages along with multigenerational families. In this regard, the author has presented the aspect of diversity, which has been prevalent in American families from the previous few decades. Additionally, the author has depicted the changes recognized in the social life of American families commencing from familiar transformation in relation to meaning and family composition. Moreover, in the book, the author has also presented the changes along with the development made in family rituals. Also, various aspects of social institutions that include legal considerations, medical science, war, professional life and social policy impose extensive impact upon the family life (Ross, 2006: 4-5). According to Ross (2006), rapid advancements are incessantly happening in social aspects due to changing ideologies, mythmaking, demographic changes in the composition of families and historical beliefs in relation to family rituals. Ross (2006) identified that the social changes have affected American families in the past and have increasingly influenced their present scenario of social life at large. In this regard, the present social life changes immensely owing to the transformations in the role of women, variations in economic conditions, racial changes, political disturbances and social inequalities. Additionally, changes can also be identified in the field of military services, war along with welfare policies. In this regard, Ross (2006) has imperatively emphasized elaborating the social-historical framework in order to comprehend the family patterns pertaining in this contemporary culture. Thus, the author of the book has planned to reveal the different factors that are accountable for the changes in the social life of American families (Ross, 2006: 4-5). In order to determine the arguments made by the author of the book whether they are effective of not, it can be viewed that Ross (2006) has presented the ideas and the changes in the life of the American families with the assistance of twenty-one interdisciplinary along with distinguished authors. In this respect, the study of these authors in relation to family sociology has assisted Dr. Ross in examining the variations that are experienced by families. Additionally, the American families have witnessed variation in the social life due to changes in social perspectives. American families have been affected on the ground of racial background, ethnic background, gender factor, social background along with generational lines. Ross (2006) has presented the ideas of the other authors with different evidential facts that include ‘revolt against patriarch’, cultural wars and institutional changes (Ross, 2006: 38). Ross (2006) provides the facts along with the ideologies that are presented in the book with adequate evidence based on the study of anthology. In this respect, the arguments in relation to the changes in the social life of American families have been supported with resistance in different aspects that include military institutions, legal, economic and medical factors (Ross, 2006). In this context, the arguments that have been presented in the book seems to be quiet effective owing to the reason that the study is based on anthology and accordingly, the stated facts in the chapters of the book are supported with adequate evidences of the study conducted by different interdisciplinary authors. Moreover, the studies made in the book provided positive arguments as the transformations witnessed are empirically supported with evidences including revolts, war, enhanced economic conditions and cultural diversity (Ross, 2006: 4-60). C. What Worked or Did Not Work From the study of the book, it can be apparently observed that there were different factors accountable for the transformational changes in the social life of American families. In this regard, the most interesting aspects were the factors that include economic changes, revolts and other relevant factors that are responsible for affecting the social life of American families. The factors assist in understanding the procedures based on which the past cultural aspects and social trends transformed in such an immense manner. In this book, main focus has been laid upon determining the role of males along with females in order to represent the changes observed in the social life of American families. The study mainly depicts the importance of male dominance in the history of American families and additionally, signifies how the concept of patriarchy has changed in the present day context (Ross, 2006: 1-60). D. Conclusion From the above analysis and discussion, it can be well comprehended that students of present generation will be interested in reading the book written by Dr. Ross. This is because the students will be able to obtain adequate information in relation to trends and cultures that were followed in the past. Additionally, the students will be able to understand the reasons that are responsible for the changes in contemporary culture. The students will also be facilitated with the opportunity of having a better perception of the relationship that exists between family life and other social institutions. Respectively, the students will be able to determine the causes accountable towards forming cultural diversity and inequalities. In this regard, the book will be relevant for undergraduate students, as they will able to possess comprehensive ideas about the different cultural aspects and the trends prevailing in the present society. Subsequently, the students will be able to comprehend the positive as well as the negative outcomes that are associated with the dramatic changes in social and family life. It can be affirmed that the students after going through the book will be able to understand the threats that might be posed upon family life due to intense transformational changes in relation to social perspectives. Thus, the book presents a positive note of assisting the readers to have a better understanding about the prevailing societal conditions and the impact of social institutions upon family life. III. References Lycoming College. 2011. Dr. Susan M. Ross. http://www.lycoming.edu/profile/faculty/rossSusan.aspx Ross, Susan M. 2006. American Families Past and Present: Social Perspectives on Transformations. United States of America: Rutgers University Press. Read More