Old and new family policies

The perspective of relational sociology

Pierpaolo Donati *

 

Abstract

Family policy has recently become a new public issue in most countries, as a consequence of two main trends: on the one side the deep transformations of family forms, and on the other side the obsolescence of family policy models inherited from the 20th century (lib, lab, and corporate). Family policy needs a referent defined in relational terms. It cannot be effective and just if policy doesn’t confer a status of social subject to the family. The author proposes a new approach to family policy: a relational approach, based on two fundamental pillars: (1) the adoption of a principle of complex subsidiarity in the governance of family policies; (2) the recognition of the complex citizenship (political and civil) of the family, coherent with the subsidiarity principle.

Key-words family policy, relational sociology, subsidiarity, family citizenship.

 

Resumo

Velhas e novas políticas familiares: a perspectiva da sociologia relacional

As políticas familiares tornaram-se recentemente uma nova questão pública em vários países, como consequência de duas grandes tendências: por um lado as transformações profundas das formas familiares, por outro a obsolescência dos modelos de política familiar herdados do século XX (lib, lab e corporativo). A política familiar carece de um referente definido em termos relacionais, o qual só pode ser efectivo se a política conferir um estatuto de sujeito social à família. O autor propõe uma nova abordagem à política familiar: uma abordagem relacional, baseada em dois pilares fundamentais: (1) a adopção de um princípio de subsidiariedade complexa no governo das políticas familiares; (2) o reconhecimento da cidadania complexa (política e civil) da família, coerente com o princípio de subsidiariedade.

Palavras-chave políticas familiares, sociologia relacional, subsidiariedade, cidadania familiar.

 

Résumé

Anciennes et nouvelles politiques familiales: l’approche de la sociologie relationnelle

Les politiques de la famille sont récemment devenues un nouveau sujet de débat public dans plusieurs pays, sous l’effet de deux grandes tendances: d’une part, les transformations profondes des formes de la famille, de l’autre, l’obsolescence des modèles de politique de la famille hérités du XXème siècle (lib, lab et corporatif). La politique de la famille a besoin d’un référent défini en termes relationnels, qui ne peut être effectif que si la politique confère un statut de sujet social à la famille. L’auteur propose une nouvelle approche de la politique de la famille: l’approche relationnelle, fondée sur deux piliers fondamentaux: (1) l’adoption d’un principe de subsidiarité complexe dans le gouvernement des politiques de la famille; (2) la reconnaissance d’une citoyenneté complexe (politique et civile) de la famille, cohérente avec le principe de subsidiarité.

Mots-clés politiques familiales, sociologie relationnelle, subsidiarité, citoyenneté de la famille.

 

Resumen

Política familiar antigua y moderna. La perspectiva de la sociología relacional

Las políticas familiares recientemente se han vuelto un nuevo tema de interés público en varios países, como consecuencia de dos grandes tendencias: por un lado los profundos cambios en la forma de las familia, por otro lo inadecuado de los modelos de política familiar heredados del siglo XX (lib, lab y corporativo). La política familiar carece de un referente definido a nivel de las relaciones, lo cual sólo puede ser efectivo, si la política le confiere un estatuto de sujeto social a la familia. El autor propone una nueva forma de encarar la política familiar: una forma relacional, basada en dos pilares fundamentales: (1) la adopción de un principio de subsidiariedad complejo, en el gobierno de la política familiar; (2) el reconocimiento de la ciudadanía compleja (política y civil) de la familia, coherente con el principio de subsidiariedad.

Palabras-clave política familiar, sociología relacional, subsidiariedad, ciudadanía familiar.

 

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

Full text only available in PDF format.

 

References

Anderson, C. A. (1999), “Criteria for policies on marriage, family and life”, Anthropotes, 15 (2), pp. 495-509.        [ Links ]

Anderson, D. M. (2001), “Towards a progressive family policy”, in H. Tam (ed.), Progressive Politics in the Global Age, Cambridge, Polity Press, pp. 108-124.

Arts, W., and J. Gelissen (2002), “Three worlds of welfare capitalism or more? A state-of-the-art report”, Journal of European Social Policy, 12 (2), pp. 137-158.

Badel, M., et al. (2003), “Réference au lien familial et accès aux droits sociaux”, dossier Famille et Droit Social, Recherches et Prévisions, 73, pp. 25-34.

Bahr, H. M., and K. Slaugh Bahr (1996), “A paradigm of family transcendence”, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58 (3), pp. 541-555.

Becker, G. S. (1991), A Treatise on the Family, Cambridge MA and London, Harvard University Press.

Bozzao, P. (2001), “La protezione sociale della famiglia”, in L. Calafà, D. Gottardi, (eds.)“Famiglia, lavoro, diritto: combinazioni possibili”, Lavoro e Diritto, XV (1), pp. 55-96.

Bradshaw, J., et al. (1994), “Une comparaison internationale des aides aux familles”, Recherches et Prévisions, 37, pp. 11-26.

Cananzi, R. (2003), “Diritto di famiglia comunitario: in iure condito et in iure condendo”, La Famiglia, XXXVII (220), pp. 18-26.

Carrà Mittini, E. (2003), Dentro le Politiche Familiari. Storia di una Ricerca Relazionale sulla l.r. 23/99 della Regione Lombardia “Politiche Regionali per la Famiglia”, Milano,LED .

Castles, F. G. (2003), “The world turned upside down: below replacement fertility, changing preferences and family-friendly public policy in 21 OECD countries”, Journal of European Social Policy, 13 (3), pp. 209-227.

Cheal, D. (1991), Family and the State of Theory, New York, Harvester/Wheatsheaf.

Cherlin, A. (ed.) (1988), American Family and Public Policy, Washington, D.C.,The Urban Institute Press.

Coleman, J. C. (1993), “The rational reconstruction of society”, American Sociological Review, 58 (1), pp. 1-15.

Commaille, J., and F. de Singly (eds.) (1997), The European Family. The Family Question in the European Community, Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publ.

Commaille, J., and C. Martin (1998), Les Enjeux Politiques de la Famille, Paris, Bayard Editions.

Diwan, R. (2000), “Relational wealth and the quality of life”, Journal of Socio-Economics, 29 (4), pp. 305-340.

Donati, P. (2000), “The new citizenship of the family: concepts and strategies for a new social policy”, in H. Cavanna (ed.), The New Citizenship of the Family. Comparative Perspectives, Aldershot, Ashgate, pp. 146-173.

Donati, P. (2001), “Famiglia e pluralizzazione degli stili di vita: distinguere tra relazioni familiari e altre relazioni primarie”, in Donati P. (ed.), Identità e Varietà dell’Essere Famiglia: Il Fenomeno della “Pluralizzazione”, Cinisello Balsamo, Edizioni San Paolo,  pp. 37-119.

Donati, P. (2003a), Sociologia delle Politiche Familiari, Roma, Carocci.

Donati, P. (2003b), “La famiglia come capitale sociale primário”, in Donati P. (ed.), Famiglia e Capitale Sociale Nella Società Italiana, Cinisello Balsamo, Edizioni San Paolo,  pp. 31-101.

Donati, P. (2003c), “Quale cittadinanza per la famiglia in Europa?”, La Famiglia, XXXVII (220), pp. 5-17.

Donzelot, J. (1977), La Police de la Famille, Paris, Minuit.

Dumon, W. (ed.) (1994), Changing Family Policies in the Member States of the European Union, Brussels, Commission of the European Communities, DGV.

Dworkin, R. (1977), Taking Rights Seriously, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, (it.tr., I Diritti Presi Sul Serio, il Mulino, 1982).

EEC (1989), Communication from the Commission on Family Policies, Brussels, 8 August 1989, COM (89) 363.

Eriksen, J. (2001), “Unmarried cohabitation and family policy in Norway”, International Review of Sociology, 11 (1), pp. 63-74.

Esping-Andersen, G. (1990), The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Princeton, Princeton University Press.

Gauthier, A. H. (1996), The State and the Family. A Comparative Analysis of Family Policies in Industrialized Countries, Oxford, Clarendon Press.

Giddens, A. (1998), The Third Way. The Renewal of Social Democracy, Cambridge, Polity Press.

Glendon, M. A. (1989), The Transformation of Family Law. States, Love, and Family in the United States and Western Europe, Chicago, University of Chicago Press.

Glendon, M. A. (1991), Rights Talk. The Impoverishment of Political Discourse, New York, Free Press.

Hantrais, L., and M. T. Letablier (1994), “Construction et déconstruction de la famille en Europe: une analyse comparative”, Recherches et Prévisions, 37, pp. 1-10.

Hardy, J. (1981), “The family: the basis of society or the root of all its problems?”, in J. Hardy, Values in Social Policy. Nine Contradictions, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul,  pp. 39-51.

Hirst, P. (1998), “Social welfare and associative democracy”, in N. Ellison and C. Pierson (eds.), Developments in British Social Policy, Basingstoke, MacMillan.

Hirst P. (1999), Associations, Communities and Conflicts in USA and UK, mimeo (italian translation: “Associazionalismo: una strategia per l’inclusione”, Sociologia e Politiche Sociali, 2 (3), 1999, pp. 173-194).

Hirst, P., and V. Bader (eds.) (2001), Associative Democracy. The Real Third Way, London, Frank Cass.

Jurado Guerrero, T., and M. Naldini (1997), Is the South So Different? Italian and Spanish Families in Comparative Perspective, in M. Rhodes (ed.), Southern European Welfare States. Between Crisis and Reform, London, Frank Cass.

Lanquetin, M. T., and M. T. Letablier (2003), “Individualisation des droits sociaux et droit fondamentaux”, dossier Famille et Droit Social, Recherches et Prévisions, 73, pp. 7-24.

Luhmann, N. (1981), Ausdifferenzierung des Rechts. Beiträge zur Rechts-soziologie und Rechtstheorie, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp (tr. it La Differenziazione del Diritto, Bologna, il Mulino,  1990).

Luhmann, N. (1982), Liebe als Passion. Zur Codierung von Intimität, Frankfurt a. M., Suhrkamp (tr. it Amore come Passione,Bari-Roma, Laterza, 1985).

Luhmann, N. (1997), “Limits of steering”, Theory, Culture and Society, 14 (1), pp. 41-57.

Nelson, B. J. (1985), “Family politics and policy in the United States and Western Europe”, Comparative Politics, 17, pp. 351-371.

Parsons, T. (1977), Social Systems and the Evolution of Action Theory, New York, Free Press.

Pérez Adán, J. (2001a), “Family and the politics of community life”, in H. Tam (ed.), Progressive Politics in the Global Age, Cambridge, Polity Press, pp. 125-139.

Pérez Adán, J. (ed.) (2001b), Las Terceras Vías, Madrid, Ediciones Internacionales Universitarias.

Prandini, R. (2001), “I diritti della famiglia e le ‘famiglie’ del diritto: identità e pluralismo nelle relazioni tra società, diritto e famiglia”, in P. Donati (ed.), Identità e Varietà dell’Essere Famiglia. Il Fenomeno della “Pluralizzazione”, Cinisello Balsamo, Edizioni San Paolo, pp. 405-459.

Rossi, G. (2002), “Promozione e sostegno delle politiche familiari in Lombardia”, Politiche Sociali e dei Servizi, IV (2), pp. 135-162.

Seriaux, A. (1997), “La dignité humaine, principe universel du droit ?”, Acta Philosophica, 6 (2), pp. 289-301.

Shinn, A., and S. M. Toohey (2003), “Community contexts of human welfare”, Annual Review of Psychology, 54, pp. 427-459.

Teubner, G. (2003), “Societal constitutionalism: alternatives to state-centred constitutional theory”, in C. Joerges, I. -J. Sand and G. Teubner (eds.), Constitutionalism and Transnational Governance, London, Hart.

Todd, E. (1985), The Explanation of Ideology. Family Structure and Social Systems, Oxford, Basil Blackwell.

Trnka, S. (ed.) (1999), Family Issues Between Gender and Generations, Vienna, European Observatory on Family Matters, seminar report, May.

Viola, F., and G. Zaccaria (2003), Le Ragioni del Diritto, Bologna, il Mulino.

Waldron, J. (1987), “Can communal goods be human rights ?”, Archives Européennes de Sociologie, XXVII, pp. 296-322.

Wolgast, E. (1987), The Grammar of Justice, Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Press (it. tr., La Grammatica della Giustizia, Roma, Editori Riuniti,  1991).

Zimmerman, S. L. (2003), “Child and family well-being in states with different political cultures”, Families in Society, 84 (2), pp. 275-284.

 

* Pierpaolo Donati. Professor of Sociology. University of Bologna, Italy. E-mail: pierpaolo.donati@unibo.it