Family Configurations

Family research often predefine what families are and focus on a small number of family dyads (mostly husbands and wives, sometimes parents and their biological children or siblings). Because of the complexity of contemporary family contexts, researchers need to go beyond those dyads and see how a large and non deterministic set of family relationships are intertwined.

The configurational perspective on families provides a new way of studying family relationships based on social network methods. I believe that it helps to the understanding of a variety of family experiences. THIS BOOK presents the fundamentals of the configurational perspective on families, as well as a variety of case studies on families based on that perspective

From the 1930s through the 1990s, German sociologist Norbert Elias’s theory of social groups as configurations contributed greatly to various fields of sociology. We note here a few of his most pertinent arguments for family research. Elias defined configurations as “structures of mutually oriented and dependent people”. Individuals, Elias proposed, are interdependent in a configuration because each one fulfills some of the others' needs for social recognition, power, emotional proximity, financial and practical resources, or other socially defined needs. As such, configurations have to deal with power issues: resources are scarce and individuals, while cooperating, also compete for them within groups. This competition creates tensions and conflicts, which are beyond individual control. The patterns of interdependencies that characterize any configuration, therefore, are largely unintended (Newton, 1999). They, in turn, shape the cooperation strategies and the conflicts that occur in each dyad belonging to it (Elias, 1983).

The configurational perspective on families is based on four assumptions:

First, families should not be defined mainly by institutional criteria such as “belonging to a household” or “being part of a socially recognized partnership.” Although these criteria are important in their own right, they are not central in the configurational approach. The actualized relationships should instead be the point of departure.

Second, instead of focusing on specific dyads (e.g., the conjugal relationship or the tie between a parent and a child) as independent and separate entities, the configurational perspective takes into consideration the larger network of relationships in which the dyads are embedded. In order to understand the functioning of any dyad, we need to analyze also its relational context: the pattern of family relationships affecting the conjugal tie, for example.

Third, individuals and group structures are twofold. On one hand, understanding choices, commitments, and negotiations that individuals make in their lives requires a clear understanding of the family interdependencies in which they are embedded, and on the other hand, understanding the interdependencies linking individuals requires insights about identity, choices, and commitments that individuals make regarding their family members. A configurational approach cannot ignore the structural dimensions of family configurations or the impact that individuals’ identity, perceptions, and projects have on him or her.

Finally, a configuration perspective on the family emphasizes its historical and spatial nature. All human configurations evolve through time and place: chains of interdependencies among individuals change because of societal, social, cultural, and economic changes. A configurational approach of the family should include information about time and place and should measure change and stability across historical periods and individual life courses.

The configurational perspective on families is associated with the Family Network Method (FNM), an instrument that I have been developing and testing for more than a decade.

List of references

De Carlo, I., Widmer, E.D. (2011). The Fabric of Trust in Families: Inherited of Achieved ? In Jallinoja R., Widmer E.D. (eds) Families and Kinship in Contemporary Europe : Rules and Practices of Relatedness. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life, pp. 216-233.

Joye, D., Pirinoli, C., Spini, D., Widmer, E. eds. (2011). Parcours de vie et insertions sociales. Editions Seismo, Zürich. description |

Widmer, E.D. (2011). Configurations des familles actuelles, diversité, ressources et tensions. L'institution familière, papa, maman, l'éduc. et moi. Integras, Association professionnelle pour l'éducation sociale et la pédagogie spécialisée. N°35, Zürich. description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Lüscher, K. (2011). Les relations intergénérationelles au prisme de l'ambivalence et des configurations familiales. Recherches familiales. n°8, p. 49-60. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Gauthier, J.-A. (2011). Le modèle développemental à la lumière des trajectoires familiales contemporaines: confirmation ou remise en question? In Joye, D., Pirinoli, C., Spini, D., Widmer, E.D. (eds). Parcours de vie et insertions sociales. Seismo Verlag, Zürich, pp. 150-167. description |

Jallinoja, R., Widmer, E.D. (2011). Introduction. Socio-cultural Theories on Family Life. In Jallinoja R., Widmer E.D. (eds). Families and Kinship in Contemporary Europe : Rules and Practices of Relatedness. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life, pp. 3-12.

Jallinoja, R., Widmer, E.D. (2011). Afterthoughts. In Jallinoja R., Widmer E.D. (eds). Families and Kinship in Contemporary Europe : Rules and Practices of Relatedness. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life, pp. 234-249.

Widmer, E.D. (2010) Entre solidarité et interférence, les familles et les relations entre générations. In: Auf dem Weg zu einer Generationenpolitik / En route vers une politique des générations. Académie suisse des sciences humaines et sociales, pp. 131-145.

Widmer, E.D. (2010). Book review of The Forgotten Kin: Aunts and Uncles, by R.M. Milardo. Population and Development Review, vol. 36, n°3, pp. 636-637.

Lüscher, K., Liegle, L., Lange, A., Hoff, A., Stoffel, M., Viry, G., Widmer, E. (2010). Générations, relations intergénérationnelles, politiques des générations: Un abrégé trilingue. Académie suisse des sciences humaines et sociales. Bern. description | full text

Jallinoja, R., Widmer, E.D. eds (2010). Families and Kinship in Contemporary Europe : Rules and Practices of Relatedness. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D. (2010). Family configurations. A Structural Approach to Family Diversity. London, Ashgate Publishing. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Kempf-Constantin, N.L., Galli Carminati, G. (2010). Exploring Perceptions of Family Relationships by Individuals With Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Disorders. Families in societies, vol. 91, n°4, pp. 378-384. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer E.D., Ritschard G., Müller N. (2009). Trajectoires professionnelles et familiales en Suisse: quelle pluralisation ? In Oris M., Widmer E.D., de Ribaupierre A., Joye D., Spini D., Labouvie-Vief G., Falter J.-M. Transitions dans les parcours de vie et construction des inégalités. Lausanne, Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes, pp. 253-272. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer, E.D., Giudici, F., Le Goff, J.-M., Pollien, A. (2009). From Support to Control. A Configurational Perspective on Conjugal Quality. Journal of Marriage and Family, vol. 71, n° 13, pp. 437-448. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D. and Castren, A.-M. and Jallinoja R. and Ketovici,K. (2008).Introduction In: Widmer E. D. and Jallinoja R.(Eds). Beyond the Nuclear Family. Families in a Configurational Perspective. Peter Lang, Berne, pp. 1-12. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer, E.D. and Castren, A.-M. and Jallinoja R. and Ketovici,K. (2008).Afterthoughts In: Widmer E. D. and Jallinoja R.(Eds). Beyond the Nuclear Family. Families in a Configurational Perspective. Peter Lang, Berne, pp. 379-401. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer,E.,D. and Sapin,M. (2008).Families on the Move. Insights on Family Configurations of individuals undergoing Psychotherapy In: Widmer E. D. and Jallinoja R.(Eds). Beyond the Nuclear Family. Families in a Configurational Perspective.. Peter Lang, Berne, pp. 279-302. Ref bibtex | description |

Burton Jeangros, Cl., Widmer, E.D., Lalive d'Epinay, C., eds (2007). Interactions familiales et constructions de l'intimité. L'Harmattan, Paris. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer E., Robert-Tissot C., Sapin M. (2007). Intimités conjugales et configurations familiales. Une application du Family network method aux populations cliniques. In : Burton-Jeangros C. Widmer E., Lalive d’Epinay C. (eds). Interactions familiales et constructions de l’intimité. Paris, L’Harmattan, pp. 381-398. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer, E.D. (2007). Social capital in wide family contexts: An empirical assessment using social network methods. International Review of Sociology, vol. 17, n° 2, pp. 225-238. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D. (2006). Who are my family members? Bridging and binding social capital in family configurations. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, vol. 23, n° 6, pp. 979-998. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Legoff, J.-M., Hammer, R., Kellerhals, J., Levy, R. (2006). Embedded Parenting? The influence of Conjugal Networks on Parent-Child Relationships. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, vol. 23, n°3, pp. 387-406. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Kellerhals, J., Widmer, E.D. (2005). Familles en Suisse. Nouveaux liens. Savoir suisse, Lausanne. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer,E.,D., Chevalier,M., Dumas,P. (2005). Le Family network method(FNM) : Un outil d'investigation des configurations familiales à disposition des thérapeutes. Thérapie Familiale. Vol. 26, pp. 423-441. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer,E. (2004).Couples and their networks In: Richards M., Scott J., Treas J.(Eds). Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Families. Blackwell publisher, London, pp. 356-373. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer, E.D., Kellerhals, J., Levy, R. (2004). Types of conjugal networks, conjugal conflict and conjugal quality. European Sociological Review, vol. 20, n° 1, pp. 63-77.

Widmer,E.,D., Kellerhals,J.,Levy,R. (2003).Modelli di funzionamento conjugale e radicamento nel contesto sociale in Swizzera In: G. Rossi(Eds). La Famiglia In Europa. Carocci, 131-160., pp. 131-160. Ref bibtex | description |

Widmer, E.D., La Farga, L.-A. (2000). Family Networks: A Sociometric Method to Study Relationships in Families. Field Methods, vol. 12, n°2, pp. 108-128. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Weiss, C. (2000). Do older siblings make a difference? The effects of older sibling support and older sibling adjustment on the adjustment of socially disadvantaged adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, vol. 10, n°1, pp. 1-29. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D. (1999). Family contexts as cognitive networks: A structural approach of family relationships. Personal Relationships, vol. 6, n°4, pp. 487-503.

Widmer, E.D., La Farga, L.-A. (1999). Boundedness and Connectivity of Contemporary Families: A case study. Connections, vol. 22, n°2, pp. 30-36. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Widmer, E.D., Romney, A.K., Boyd, J. (1999). Cognitive aspects of step-terms in American kinship. American Anthropologist, vol. 101, n°2, pp. 374-378. Ref bibtex | description | full text

Coenen-Huther, J., Kellerhals, J., Von Allmen, M., Hagmann, H., Jeannerat, F., Widmer, E.D. (1994). Les réseaux de solidarité dans la famille. Réalités sociales, Lausanne. Ref bibtex | full text

Von Allmen, M., Burton-Jeangros, C., Pillonel, O.,Widmer, E.,D. (1994). Statuts et relations dans la proche parenté. Ref bibtex |

Kellerhals J., Coenen-Huther J., Von Allmen M., Hagmann H. M., Jeannerat F., Widmer E. D. (1993). Parentés d'aujourd'hui: entre solidarité et détachement. Rapport scientifique au FNRS, 440p. (collaboration). Ref bibtex |

Recent scientific presentations

Family Configurations. Beyond The Nuclear Family. 10th Congress of the European Sociological Association (ESA). With Karin Wall. University of Geneva, September, 7th-10th 2011. September 10th, 2011.

Approches sociologiques de la famille en Europe : les grandes tendances de ces 50 dernières années. 50 ans de l'Ecole de Sexologie et des Sciences de la Famille (ESFA). Université catholique de Louvain, Belgique. 12-16 octobre 2011, 12 octobre 2011.

Families in space: a configurational perspective. International Workshop, The Everyday Life of Multi-Local Families. Deutsches Jugendinstitut, Munich, 20th - 21st October 2011. 20th October 2011.

The Network of Sociability and Family Support Norms in the Different Welfare States: A Quantitative Approach from the Data of International Social Survey Program (ISSP). 10th Congress of the European Sociological Association (ESA). With Olga Granjour. University of Geneva, September, 7th-10th 2011. September 9th, 2011..

Coparenting and Child Development in Stepfamilies. 2011 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development. Montreal, Quebec, March 31-April 2, 2011. April 2, 2011.

Stepfamilies and child development : Preliminary results from a configurational research on 300 families living in Switzerland. Université de Zürich, 11 novembre 2010.

My choice of theirs ? Social network effects on occupational changes during the transition to parenthood. Avec F. Giudici. International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA). Sunbelt XXX. Italy, Trento. 29 June – 4 July 2010. 1st July 2010.

Families in a Configurational Perspective: Dyadic and Structural Ambivalence in Family Relationships. 5th Congress of the European Society on Family Relations (ESFR), Family Transitions and Family in Transitions. Italie. Milan, Università Cattolica, 29 September – 2 October 2010. 30 September 2010.

Changes in Conjugal Life, Conference of the Institute for Social Sciences « Research on Families and Family Policies in Europe ». Université de Lisbonne, 25-27 mai 2010. 26 mai 2010.

Widmer E.D., Viry G., Kaufmann V., Does it matter for us that my partner or I commute ? Spatial mobility for job reasons and the quality of conjugal relationship in France, Germany, and Switzerland. European Sociological Association (ESA) research network Sociology of Family and Intimate Lives. Germany. Wiesbaden, 16 septembre 2010.

Family and Job Mobility. 5th Congress of the European Society on Family Relations (ESFR), Family Transitions and Families in Transition. Italie. Milan, Università Cattolica, 29 September – 2 October 2010, 29 September 2010.

Geographical mobility and family life: How to (re-)think family in a mobile world ? Organization of the Interim meeting of the European Sociological Association (ESA) research network “Sociology of Family and Intimate Lives”. Germany. Wiesbaden, September 16th-18th.

Réseaux familiaux (Microsimulation, modélisation des relations intergénérationnelles). Organisateur de la séance du mardi 22 juin du XVIe Colloque international de l'AIDELF "Relations intergénérationnelles enjeux démographiques". Université de Genève, 21-24 juin 2010.

Entre conflits et solidarités, les ambivalences familiales dans le parcours de vie. Présentation plénière. Congrès de l'association suisse de Sociologie. Genève, 8 septembre 2009.

My choice or theirs ? Work intentions and network members during the transition to parenthood. Avec Francesco Giudici. Présentation au Congrès de l'Association Européenne de Sociologie. Lisbonne, 4 septembre 2009.

Les familles en réseau: une approche configurationelle de l'intime. Conférence à l'Association des professeurs de l'Université de Genève, 10 mars 2009.

From Support to Control. A Configurational Perspective on Conjugal relationships. Interim- meeting du réseau de recherche “family and intimate lives” de la European Sociological Association. Family in the making. Theorizing family in the contemporary European context. University of Helskinki, 27-29 août 2008.

Recent public interventions

Stabilité des nouvelles configurations familiales. Qu'est-ce qui est en jeu ? Colloque Integras "Placement extrafamilial: ultima ratio. Qu'imposons-nous aux enfants et adolescents ?" Berne, Kulturcasino. 17 janvier 2012.

Le Parlement réinvente la Famille. La Liberté, 5 octobre 2011.
files/other/liberte05102011.pdf.

Ma famille aujourd'hui. Le Journal de l'UNIGE, N°45. 17-31 mars 2011.
files/other/LeJournalUNIGE_45.pdf.

La famille on la construit. Interview dans le magazine Coopération, N° 39. 28 septembre 2010.
/files/other/CooperationN°39.pdf.

Parents au bord de la crise de nerfs - risques et aides possibles / Am Rande des Nervenzusammenbruchs - Risiken und mögliche Auswege für Eltern unter Druck. Symposium au Kulturcasino à Berne, 17 novembre 2010.

Configurations des familles actuelles, diversité, ressources et tensions. Colloque de Morat Integras, 27 et 28 mai 2010.

La famille, changements et permanences, exposé dans le cadre du module 8, certificat de perfectionnement en politique sociale. Université de Genève. 27 mai 2010.

Et demain, que reste-t-il de la famille ? Conférence à Unimail pour le Lions Club Genève dans le cadre des Partner's Night. 19 avril 2010.

Est-il vrai que les mères sont insupportables ? Café scientifique au Musée d'histoire des sciences. 22 février 2010.

Conférence sur les familles en réseau à Uni3 (Université du troisième âge). Université de Genève. 9 décembre 2009
files/other/conferenceFamilleUni3Widmer.pdf.

Les nouvelles formes de familles. Invité du 12h30. Radio suisse romande la première. 7 décembre 2009.

Familles recomposées, familles intractes, quelles configurations familiales? Présentation des résultats de l'atelier de recherche au déjeuner sociologique. Université de Genève. 18 février 2009.

Interview à la Smala sur les nouvelles parentalités. Diffusion le 24 janvier. 24 janvier 2008.

Les familles en réseau. Une approche configurationnelle des formes de l'intime. Conférence invitée par l'Association des professeurs de l'Université de Genève (APUG). Mardi 10 mars 2009. Unimail. NULL.

Peut-on regretter d'avoir eu des enfants? Interview dans le cadre de la Samla, émission de la Radio Suisse romande. 24 janvier 2009.

Conférence à l'Exposition à Cité Seniors Créez votre photo de famille 15 janvier 2009.

Point fort du 19 heuress sur la TSR1. Noël ne connait pas la crise. 19 décembre 2008.

Interview dans le Courrier « Noël fait le lien entre les générations », 24 décembre 2008. NULL.

Présentation au déjeuner sociologique. Université de Genève. Ties that bind. Care and social capital in family configurations, 17 décembre 2008. NULL.

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