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• Faculty Profiles

susan stewart

associate professor
sociology

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"'The Brady Bunch is in the minority."

Stepfamilies in American don't fit the old description where two adults, who are either widowed or divorced, form a new loving family with their children from the previous relationship. In her new book, Brave New Stepfamilies: Diverse Paths Toward Stepfamily Living, Susan Stewart says social and demographic changes have diversified American families so much that the question 'what is a stepfamily?' is becoming difficult to answer.

Susan says chances are these days stepfamilies consist of those with gay or lesbian parents, stepfamilies with adult stepchildren, or those stepfamilies created by nonmarital childbearing and cohabitation in addition to divorce and remarriage.

"We need to update our concept of a stepfamily. It's more than just remarriage. Once formed these stepfamilies manifest a wide range of living arrangements, care giving and intimacy."