Marriage, family, and relationships : a cross-cultural encyclopedia / Gwen J. Broude. Broude, Gwen J., author.

Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO, [1994]

xiv, 372 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

The human family is ever-evolving, changing with time and adapting to place. How and what degree do world cultures differ in their sexual, familial, and social habits, and what are the common features? And how is the manner in which humans conduct their various relationships related to instincts for survival and reproduction? Marriage, Family, and Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia invites readers to explore the expression of relationships in many cultures and to discover by comparison both shared patterns and dazzling variety. Alphabetically arranged by topic, the detailed and engrossing essays cover such topics as: adult friendships; courtship; divorce customs; fathers attending births; male-female hostility; marriage forms; parents-in-law; romantic love; sex taboos; and widow remarriage. Students, researchers, and armchair sociologists will welcome this volume as a reference source and springboard to new thought and new understanding. -- Provided by publisher.