S0920 The Family: a Safe Heaven or a Battle Zone?

In many cultures, the family is seen as the corner stone of society. It is expected to satisfy the emotional and physical needs of its members as well as providing a secure base. However, familial relationships are more complex than the \"expected ideal.\" This course will review the family myth and actualities; the contribution of psychosocial and cultural factors implicated in various family structures and functioning will be discussed.
The issues to be explored include: Family Structures and functions, normative changes across the life span of the family( e.g., aging launching of offspring), stressful( e.g., immigration ) and traumatic events( i.e., wars ) and their effects , and dysfunctional families( alcoholism , domestic violence , mental illness ) Students will be required to read generic academic literature and draw on their personal experience and cultural background.
For this seminar no preliminary knowledge is required.