| CODE | FSD2003 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Current Family Issues in a Changing Society | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Child and Family Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will familiarize students with core theories in the area of family studies. with a particular emphasis on family policy. The introduction will present an overview of global diversity in family life including multicultural and multifaith families and will then focus on the state of the Maltese family today. Key issues facing young parents today, including work-life balance issues, childcare, supporting their children's education, and ICT, will be discussed. Difficulties and opportunities for today's ageing families and multigenerational issues will also be explored. Finally, the particular challenges faced by disadvantaged families including those facing poverty, mental health issues and intimate partner violence will be highlighted. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to present students with the opportunity to learn about the most prominent issues faced by familes in today's society. It also aims to help students understand the critical role of how policies can support and strengthen family life. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - outline reasons for change in family life on the global stage; - discuss the major features of family life and challenges faced by families today; - identify salient family policy responses to key family issues. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - contextualize the science of home economics within the various contexts of family issues presented during this study-unit; - reflect on and analyze the impact of such issues on how the home is managed; - reflect on and identify possible effects of family policies on home management. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts - Abela, A., & Walker, J. (Eds.) (2014). Contemporary issues in family studies: Global perspectives on partnerships, parenting and support in a changing world. Chichester, England: Wiley Blackwell. Supplementary Readings - Abela, A. (2009). Relationship education for families in transition between different cultural value systems: A Maltese perspective. In H. Benson & S. Callan (Eds.), What works in relationship education? Lessons from academics and service deliverers in the United States and Europe (pp. 149-160). Retrieved from http://www.relationshipeducation.info - Abela, A. (2013). Malta. In R. E. Emery (Ed.), Cultural sociology of divorce: An encyclopedia (Vol. 2, pp. 748-753). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. - Abela, A. (2016). Family life. In M. Briguglio & M. Brown (Eds.), Sociology of the Maltese Islands (pp. 17-48). Luqa, Malta: Miller. - Abela, A., Casha, C., Borg Xuereb, R., Clark, M., Inguanez, J., & Sammut Scerri, C. (2012). The needs of Maltese families with dependent children: A focus group study among professionals. Bank of Valletta Review, (45), 55-86. Retrieved from https://www.bov.com/Content/bov-review - Abela, A., Casha, C., Debono, M., & Lauri, M. A. (2015). Attitudes about remarriage in Malta. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 56(5), 369-387. doi: 10.1080/10502556.2015.1046799 - Abela, A., Debono, M., Farrugia, R., Sant, S., & Vella, A. (2004). Helping families to balance work with home: Proposals for policy. Valletta, Malta: National Family Commission. - Abela, A., Farrugia, R., Vella, A. M., & DeGiovanni, K. (2015). Familialistic countries need a family-inclusive service when caring for people with mental health problems: The case of Malta. Families, Relationships and Societies. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1332/204674315X14365326675064 - Abela, A., & Fenech, C. (2011). Faith in pluralistic Malta: The relevance of the Maltese Catholic church in the context of current changes in contemporary Maltese families. In Faith in pluralistic Malta (pp. 49-58). Msida, Malta: University Chaplaincy, University of Malta. - Abela, A., & Tabone, C. (2008). Research on the Family Series: No. 1. Family poverty and social exclusion with a special emphasis on children. Valletta, Malta: National Family Commission. - Borg Xuereb, R., Abela A., & Spiteri, G. (2012). Early parenting: Portraits from the lives of first-time parents. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 30(5), 468-482. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2012.744961 - Daly, M. (Ed.). (2007). Parenting in contemporary Europe: A positive approach. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe. - European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. (2014). Violence against women: An EU-wide survey – Main results. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. - The President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society. (2016). Sustaining relationships: Couples and singles in a changing society. Retrieved from http://www.pfws.org.mt/en/news/26/126/sustaining-relationships-couples-and-singles |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Anna Borg Claire Casha (Co-ord.) Colette Farrugia Bennett Lorleen Farrugia Manwel Gellel Paulann Grech Carlos Grima Maria Pisani Mario George Vella Stephen Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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