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Constructionisme Social Et Nouvelles Parentalités, Kenneth J. Gergen

Psychology Faculty Works

My concern in this paper is with the breakdown in the traditional family structure, and the simultaneous emergence of new patterns of parenthood. Increasingly we find instances of “blended families,” gay and lesbian families, daycare dependent families, grandparent-centered families, “collaborative families,” and more. While family therapists may attempt to restore traditional “family values,” the greater challenge is helping the new family patterns to flourish. In this paper I propose that social constructionist theory provides a useful resource for new ideas and practices relevant to the new parentalities. Social constructionism centers on the way in which our ideas of the real …