Family Influences

Family influences are embedded in all dimensions of our culture and world.

Family and family influences are interwoven into all dimensions of human experience, as opposed to the assumption that the family functions in isolated, private contexts. These influences can almost always be found when one asks “the family question” of any given historical, social, cultural, or political experience.

The family is not merely a construct of human will or imagination but has a profoundly important connection to nature beginning with the realities of reproduction and extending to the forces that shape civilization itself. Just as an individual cannot be understood in isolation from his or her family context, it is impossible to understand culture without considering family dimensions.

Whether explicit or implicit, family influences can virtually always be found when one asks “the family question” of any given social or historical experience. Using a family lens paves the way for multi and cross-disciplinary collaborations to explore the complex and critically important roles that the family plays in our contemporary world.