The works selected here form a cross-section of the landmarks in the complex and controversial field of family studies in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Featuring writings from eminent sociologists such as Morgan, Starcke, Rivers, Groves, Ogburn and Nimkoff, the collection * traces the sociology of the family from its origins in the anthropological study of kinship in the late nineteenth century * includes examples of early twentieth century studies on family relations, which propose practical solutions to the problems of domestic breakdown and violence and the emergence of the single parent family * illustrates the development of modern family studies with its emphasis on particular family problems and roles.