What we talk about when we talk about family?: Concept in context

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to point at the sources of ideologization of concept of family through presenting its definition and use in modern social, mainly sociological, thought in XIX and XX century. The analysis has been done through contextualization - interpretation of family concept definition within frameworks of various sociological theories that are embedded within socio-historical contexts of their emergence. The first part of the paper deals with main obstacles for conceptualization and exploration of family life. Analysis of sociological theories showed that both definition of family and the attitude towards modern family are in function of central theoretical proposition of the approach, whether it is set as social system integration or emancipation of an individual. Sociological studies are also burdened with normativism, since scholars view modern family as an ideological construct of ?success story?, both from the standpoint of its apology or criticism, therefore neglecting reality of family life in its variety. In the concluding part, I raise the questions of possibility and a mode of comprehending and exploring particularly contemporary family without a burden of its ideologization.