| CODE | FSD5001 | |||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Contemporary Issues in Family Studies | |||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Child and Family Studies | |||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will provide students with the opportunity to debate on key challenges that today's families are facing from a multidisciplinary perspective. A strong emphasis will be made on how policy can support families in their endeavours. Students will be introduced to preferred living arrangements of couples today including cohabitation and families headed by lesbian and gay parents. Conflict management, the prevention of violence in families, and the effects of separation/divorce will be explored. Current issues will include challenges that parents and parents-to-be are facing in the 21st century. Family and work conflict with special reference to dual earners will be discussed. Family care issues, including out-of-home care and its effect on children as well as care and support for the elderly in the context of an ageing society, will also be taken into account. The fight against family and child poverty will be given priority. Due consideration will also be given to families with disability, families facing mental health issues, and immigrant families. The need for relationship education across the family life cycle will be accentuated. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to provide a deep understanding of the current issues families are grappling with in the 21st century and of how relevant research and theory can inform policy. Whilst drawing on current international literature, the study-unit aims to take the cultural and economic context of our country into account when thinking about what policies will be helpful in addressing current dilemmas and challenges. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - critically appraise the overview of the key family issues faced by families in Malta, Europe and in the Western World” instead of “demonstrate the key family issues faced by families in Malta, in Europe and in the Western World; - characterise the conceptual frameworks that help them understand issues that are faced by families; - recognise the reasons why such issues are coming to the forefront; - distinguish how different countries deal with these issues from a policy perspective; - discuss the contrasting values relating to key issues in family life. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - apply relevant theory and research on family issues, including its implications for policy; - Critique families policy related to the different topics” instead of “design family policy drawn on theory and research. Main Text/s, papers and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Abela, A., & Walker, J. (Eds.). (2014). Contemporary issues in family studies: Global perspectives on partnerships, parenting and support in a changing world. Chichester, England: Wiley-Blackwell. Supplementary Readings: Abela, A. (2009). Relationship education for families in transition between different cultural value systems: A Maltese perspective. In H. Benson & S. Callan (Eds.), What works in relationship education? Lessons from academics and service deliverers in the United States and Europe (pp. 149-160). Retrieved from http://www.relationshipeducation.info Abela, A. (2013). Malta. In R. E. Emery (Ed.), Cultural sociology of divorce: An encyclopedia (Vol. 2, pp. 748-753). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Abela, A., Casha, C., Borg Xuereb, R., Clark, M., Inguanez, J., & Sammut Scerri, C. (2012). The needs of Maltese families with dependent children: A focus group study among professionals. Bank of Valletta Review, (45), 55-86. Retrieved from https://www.bov.com/Content/bov-review Abela, A., Casha, C., Debono, M., & Lauri, M. A. (2015). Attitudes about remarriage in Malta. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 56(5), 369-387. doi: 10.1080/10502556.2015.1046799 Abela, A., Farrugia, R., Casha, C., Galea, M., & Schembri, D. (2013). The relationship between Maltese adolescents and their parents (Department of Family Studies Research Report No.1). Valletta, Malta: Office of the President of Malta. Abela, A., Farrugia, R., Galea, M., & Schembri, D. (2012).The relationship between parents and their adolescent children with special reference to consensual and contentious separations. International Journal of the Jurisprudence of the Family, 3, 111-143. Abela, A., Farrugia, R., Vella, A. M., & DeGiovanni, K. (2016). Familialistic countries need a family-inclusive service when caring for people with mental health problems: The case of Malta. Families, Relationships and Societies, 5(2), 313-331. doi: 10.1332/204674315X14365326675064 Abela, A., & Tabone, C. (2008). Research on the Family Series: No. 1. Family poverty and social exclusion with a special emphasis on children. Valletta, Malta: National Family Commission. Belsky, J., Vandell, D. L., Burchinal, M., Clarke-Steward, K. A., McCartney, K., Owen, M. T., & The NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2007). Are there long-term effects of early child care? Child Development, 78(2),681–701. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01021.xBorg Xuereb, R., Abela, A., & Spiteri, G. (2012). Early parenting: Portraits from the lives of first-time parents. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 30(5), 468-482. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2012.744961 Briguglio, M., & Brown, M. (Eds.). (2016). Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Luqa, Malta: Miller. Cancian, C., & Danziger, S. (Eds.). (2009). Changing poverty, changing policies. New York , NY: Russell Sage Foundation. Crane, R. D., & Heaton, T. B. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of families and poverty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Daly, M. (Ed.). (2007). Parenting in contemporary Europe: A positive approach. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. (2014). Violence against women: An EU-wide survey – Main results. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Golombok, S. (2015). Modern families: Parents and children in new family forms. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. The President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society. (2016). Sustaining relationships: Couples and singles in a changing society. Attard, Malta: Author. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | |||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Angela Abela (Co-ord.) Claire Lucille Azzopardi Lane Rita Borg Xuereb Claire Casha Maureen Cole Cher Engerer Ashe Lorleen Farrugia Ruth Farrugia Marvin Formosa Ingrid Lanfranco Connie Magro Marceline Naudi Alexia Rossi Clarissa Sammut Scerri Jacqueline Vanhear Sue Vella Stephen Christopher Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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