Abstract
The institution of the family has changed, but U.S. public
institutions and policies generally have not kept pace. In response, a
number of feminist theorists have argued that we should recognize and
support more diverse family forms. They argue that equality, respect for
personal autonomy, recognition of diversity, and facilitating
relationships of care demand such a move. Building on their work, I
explicitly situate the necessity of redefining “family” within
a public ethic of care and offer a comprehensive working definition of
family that focuses on recognizing relationships that combine intimacy and
care. In so doing, I address how to handle biological ties without
excluding or marginalizing other bases upon which people form
families.The author would like to thank the
following individuals for sharing their expertise and comments on earlier
versions of this manuscript: Eileen Botting, Fred Dallmayr, Daniel
Engster, Neve Gordon, Jyl Josephson, Michael Kirsch, Victor Levy, Hugh
Wilson, Christina Wolbrecht, Catherine Zuckert, the editors of
Politics & Gender, and the anonymous reviewers. An earlier
draft of this piece was presented in Chicago at the 2002 National
Conference of the Midwest Political Science Association.