In Their Own Words

Families are inundated with information, and no family can attend to it all; families must set attentional priorities and remain oblivious to much. But why are families oblivious to what they are oblivious to, and how is shared obliviousness maintained? What costs are there in that obliviousness, and how can shared obliviousness be overcome when that is in the best interests of an individual or family? This speculative theoretical work explores the hidden undersides of families and the links of family obliviousness to important matters in the family and in society. Drawing on work in family systems, family therapy, whiteness and privilege, and social construction, among other areas of scholarship, this book offers insights for all who work with, study, or care about families.