Grandparents in Cultural Context

‘A volume addressing grandparenthood in many different societies and cultures was long overdue. This book offers not only insights into the diversity of grandparent experiences across various cultures and societies, but also demonstrates biases in current (mainly Western) research, which includes the lack of attention to grandfathers or lack of differentiation between maternal and paternal grandparents. Another important aspect of this volume is the coverage of pertinent old age and family policies.’ - Maximiliane Szinovacz, University of Massachusetts – Boston, USA

‘A must-read for anyone interested in the diverse ways grandparents serve and are served by their families across a variety of regions around the world, some of which have been little studied despite their theoretical and practical importance. Grandparents in Cultural Context provides as rich and comprehensive a review of grandparents, grandparenting, and grandparenthood as you will find in the family literature. The material presented is conceptually ambitious, theoretically grounded, and deeply evocative of grandparents’ everyday experiences.’ - Merril D. Silverstein, Syracuse University, USA

‘This landmark book on grandparenting is both fascinating to read and at the cutting edge of social science research. The editors have encouraged an organized structure to each chapter which helps the reader immensely. Given the predominance of Western studies, this truly cross-cultural perspective makes a vital, refreshing and innovative contribution on a topic of increasing importance.’ - Peter K. Smith, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

‘This volume provides a splendidly accessible, comparative overview of an array of evidence on grandparents and grandparenthood. It offers an invaluable springboard for future scholars working on this important and complex subject. This readable work, which includes proverbs, graphic vignettes, descriptive analyses, national statistics, and wide ranging reviews of available evidence of many kinds, provides another valuable step in the direction of raising our awareness, combatting our knowledge gaps, and promoting new and much needed enquiries.’ - Christine Oppong, University of Ghana, and Wolfson College, Cambridge, UK

The editors write in their introduction that "research on grandparents in diverse cultures, at different stages of development, is essential both for theory construction and to inform social policy." While sociological research on grandparents in developed and Western countries is substantive, there are fewer studies about grandparenthood in areas such as Africa. The contributors to Grandparents in Cultural Context share their scholarship from the Americas, Europe and Russia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The text focuses more on qualitative research than quantitative data, incorporating case studies and cultural analysis. The resulting text combines aspects from psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, gerontology, and social work. The research is significant; because the studies are not limited to grandparenthood in the US, they can inform the development of theory and social policy in a broader context. Beyond grandfathers and grandmothers, studies also touch on great-grandparents. Extensive references conclude each chapter; numerous photographs, charts, maps, and tables enhance the content. Separate author and subject indexes round out the scholarly apparatus.

--D. L. Norland, Luther College

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, and professionals.