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Singles’ Relations. Seven life stories against the background of normative nuclear familism

Severinson, Malin LU (2010) SIMT21 20101
Master of Science in Social Studies of Gender
Graduate School
Abstract
In this thesis, I draw attention to what at first glance might look like the opposite of family life – those living by themselves – people who at times are stereotyped as deviants even in research. The aim is two-fold. Firstly, I am interested in how those living by themselves arrange and construct their social connections, such as friendship, family or kinship and work life. Secondly, I am interested in understanding their experiences and reflections about dealing with and relating to expectations of couplehood and family. My theoretical framework begins in intersectionality, and furthermore, I present an alternative thinking to the either-or perspective that dichotomises between singles and families by introducing normative nuclear... (More)
In this thesis, I draw attention to what at first glance might look like the opposite of family life – those living by themselves – people who at times are stereotyped as deviants even in research. The aim is two-fold. Firstly, I am interested in how those living by themselves arrange and construct their social connections, such as friendship, family or kinship and work life. Secondly, I am interested in understanding their experiences and reflections about dealing with and relating to expectations of couplehood and family. My theoretical framework begins in intersectionality, and furthermore, I present an alternative thinking to the either-or perspective that dichotomises between singles and families by introducing normative nuclear familism. Normative nuclear familism, builds on a gradient understanding of family practices, with the heterosexual nuclear family as hegemonic. I argue that theories of individualism, pure relations and welfare state actions are biased by normative nuclear familism. My empirical material consists of seven life stories of four men and three women with differences in ethnicity, class and age, living by themselves. In my narrative analysis I focus on central themes, turning points and language use. My findings are that most of these seven single living persons are deeply embedded in family practices, although others than nuclear family practices. They are open to meeting a partner, until they have done family properly, then it can be rejected. The younger men believe in love-facilitating powers that will make them change and enter coupledom, for the women, a decision about having children seem to forego finding a partner. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Severinson, Malin LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMT21 20101
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
life course, gender, normative nuclear familism, family, single living, life story
language
English
id
1612839
date added to LUP
2010-06-29 14:42:12
date last changed
2010-06-29 14:42:12
@misc{1612839,
  abstract     = {{In this thesis, I draw attention to what at first glance might look like the opposite of family life – those living by themselves – people who at times are stereotyped as deviants even in research. The aim is two-fold. Firstly, I am interested in how those living by themselves arrange and construct their social connections, such as friendship, family or kinship and work life. Secondly, I am interested in understanding their experiences and reflections about dealing with and relating to expectations of couplehood and family. My theoretical framework begins in intersectionality, and furthermore, I present an alternative thinking to the either-or perspective that dichotomises between singles and families by introducing normative nuclear familism. Normative nuclear familism, builds on a gradient understanding of family practices, with the heterosexual nuclear family as hegemonic. I argue that theories of individualism, pure relations and welfare state actions are biased by normative nuclear familism. My empirical material consists of seven life stories of four men and three women with differences in ethnicity, class and age, living by themselves. In my narrative analysis I focus on central themes, turning points and language use. My findings are that most of these seven single living persons are deeply embedded in family practices, although others than nuclear family practices. They are open to meeting a partner, until they have done family properly, then it can be rejected. The younger men believe in love-facilitating powers that will make them change and enter coupledom, for the women, a decision about having children seem to forego finding a partner.}},
  author       = {{Severinson, Malin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Singles’ Relations. Seven life stories against the background of normative nuclear familism}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}