This book offers a collection of articles that together develop a systematic understanding of family. Some examine cross-cultural and historical variations of family patterns, in order to highlight the social organization of things that otherwise seem "natural." The bulk of articles focus onthe social relations of sexuality and intimacy, reproduction, parenting and living together. Because these relations are typically gender relations, a concern about gender inequality is constant throughout the book. Nearly three dozen scholars have contributed to this collection, and while most ofthe articles were previously published, several are new.