SOC261: This TMA is designed for you to appreciate the trends in contemporary family sociology research and to demonstrate your understanding of the research approaches and methods in family research: Sociology of Family Research Paper, SUSS, Singapore

Question

This TMA is designed for you to appreciate the trends in contemporary family sociology research and to demonstrate your understanding of the research approaches and methods in family research.

Read the following journal paper and book chapter:

•  Farrell B., VandeVusse A. &Ocobock A. (2012) “Family change and the state of family sociology”, Current Sociology, 60(3) 283–301. [available in SUSS e-library]
•  Yeung W-J.J. & Hu S. (2018) “Continuity and Change in Singapore’s population and families” in Yeung W-J.J. & Hu S. (eds) Family and Population Changes in Singapore: A Unique Case in the Global Family Change. 1-26. London: Routledge. [available in SUSS e-library]

Based on your understanding of the trends in family changes discussed in the above readings, perform the following tasks:

Conduct a brief review of sociological research on families in Singapore. In addition, you should determine one reliable sociological study on families in Singapore and discuss some of the key findings in this study.

You should also critically evaluate its theoretical assumptions (positivist or humanistic) and research methodological approach (qualitative or quantitative research design), including the research objectives, sampling, data collection methods and analyze how this study can contribute or have contributed to the sociological studies on families in Singapore society.

Propose a sociological research project on issues related to ‘non-traditional families’, (including single-parent families, cohabitation, and same-sex coupling, etc.) in Singapore.

Your research proposal should include how you would design your research study to examine interesting social phenomena or issues relating to the way(s) in which ‘non-traditional families’ negotiate their existence within the larger social fabric of Singapore society and the impact of state ideology and family policies on them.