Conclusion

Abstract

In this book I have explored the sociology of family intimacy through analysis of conceptual frameworks and methodological approaches that have shaped this field of study. In chapter 1 I set out the scope of my inquiry and introduced the empirical research through which I developed my analysis. In chapter 2 I sketched an outline of families and childhood research, highlighting how these interconnected areas have developed. Two main factors characterise these developments; first, the shift in emphasis from ideas of ‘the family’ as a structuring unitary social unit, towards diverse relational networks that are constituted through everyday practices of intimacy; and second, the repositioning of children as agentic subjects rather than adults-in-waiting, passing through the transitional phase of childhood. I examined how these changes affected the scope and framing of research. These issues and ideas were unpacked under the rubric of ‘sensitive topic’ research and the ethical debates around researching families and childhood. Following from this in chapter 3, I detailed research approaches that characterise and have shaped these fields of study. I outlined the qualitative methods and analytical strategies that are typically used to examine familial relationships and the everyday lives of parents and children.