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Historians linking up with sociologists to examine the family

Family scholars from many disciplines --including historians, sociologists, psychogists, therapists, social workers, political scientists, and economists-- meet this spring for the 11th annual conference of the Council on Contemporary Families. The conference, held on April 25-26 at University of Illinois-Chicago, features what organizers have dubbed "Family Issues in Contention." Themes of sex, adoption, cohabitation, and divorce are at the center of the two-day dialogue. The program includes:

-A panel on the teen phenomenon of "hooking up" includes new research, and commentators from diverse perspectives.

-Another workshop asks the thorny question, "Is Transracial and Transnational Adoption the RIght Policy for Parents? Children? Society?"

-Still another includes demographers and clinical psychologists examining whether cohabitation is "good" for love or for marriage.

-And in an ongoing consideration of a complicated question, a session examines what are the latest thoughts on divorce versus "sticking it out."

Each year, the CCF conference has successfully created an environment of dialogue and participation. Presenters limit their prepared remarks to 10 minutes; this means that presenters and conference participants convene for focused, lively deliberation on provocative questions. The conference is geared towards addressing key policy and public issues of the moment and in moving beyond simple party-line solutions. The conference program is posted at http://www.contemporaryfamilies.org. Other features of the program include the CCF media awards: award recipients from national media will speak about their experiences covering family issues--and working with family experts; a networking and dance party; and an afternoon of hands-on workshops on writing op eds, pitching stories to the press, and other aspects of working with the media.

For more information, contact Stephanie Coontz, Director of Research and Public Education. Council on Contemporary Families at coontzs@msn.com