The history of the family is a well-researched cross-sectional field in social history and the
history of mentalities. However that is true only for the early modern period and modern
history from 1789 to 1914 but not the twentieth century. Contemporary history of the family
has so far been a field for family sociology educational studies and psychology. In this
textbook it is treated as a resource that needs to be developed through a dialogue between
academic history and laypersons who are interested in family history. The book starts with a
theoretical section concerned with the motivation that lies behind an interest in the family
inside and outside of academic research tracing leading perspectives and major lines in the
development of the family from nuclear family to patchwork family. The practical section of
the volume deals with specific source problems in project work on family history.
