The Individual and the Family: The Theory of Private Life According to François de Singly

Abstract

The article deals with the concept of the family and private life in the works of the contemporary French sociologist Francois de Singly. First, it introduces the reader to the context of international and French sociology of the family as it evolved over the course of the past century and situates into this picture the figures of F. de Singly and the group of sociologists he works with. The article moves on to analyse the intellectual sources of his `individualistic theory' of the sociology of the family: E. Durkheim, P. Bourdieu and P. Berger. In relation to these figures the author presents Singly's theory of relationships in the contemporary family and in the private sphere in general. According to Singly, contemporary society is more and more individualised in contrast with the way societies were in the past; a person lives and is perceived increasingly as an individual, released from the ties of groups and communities. It is in the family and in intimate relationships that the personal identity of each individual is formed and the family thus is the central institution that contributes to shaping an individual's personal identity. Therefore, although it would appear that the institution of the family is becoming destabilised, from a certain perspective it is even more important than ever before. Changes in society that have an impact on the family are reflected particularly in the changes in the position of women in the family, in changes in the approach to children, and in the transformation of fatherhood. Singly's psycho-sociological approach reveals many of the mechanisms whereby the contemporary family functions, but it partially overlooks analysing the structural factors that affect an individual.