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How to Define Situated and Ever‐Transforming Family Configurations? A New Materialist Approach
Author(s) -
Schadler Cornelia
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of family theory and review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.454
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1756-2589
pISSN - 1756-2570
DOI - 10.1111/jftr.12167
Subject(s) - situated , posthuman , materialism , agency (philosophy) , perspective (graphical) , sociology , epistemology , computer science , social science , philosophy , artificial intelligence
Within the past few decades, the configuration “family” has included diverse living arrangements, yet traditional definitions of family persist. Accordingly, family studies scholars have discussed research strategies and theoretical approaches to define the shifting boundaries of family. In this article I propose the approach of new materialism for a contemporary definition of family that focuses on situated processes and the complex interplay of material‐discursive differentiation processes. This perspective enriches current debates on defining family by adding concepts of intracontextual posthuman practices and multilocal forms of agency to the discussion, thus allowing for a definition of family that helps make comprehensible today's ever‐transforming configurations.