On September 16, Sage Publishing released The Social History of American Families: An Encyclopedia. The reference work features entries written by two CARTA faculty members. Daniel Blaeuer, Assistant Professor in Communication Arts, authored the entry titled “National Affordable Housing Act.” Lynne M. Webb, Professor in Communication Arts, served as lead author for the entry titled “Technology.”
According to Sage Publishing, the four volume American Families Encyclopedia “explores the vital role of the family as the fundamental social unit across the span of American history. It chronicles the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of the American family from the colonial period to the present.” The Encyclopedia was edited by two well-respected University of Missouri professors of family studies, Marilyn Coleman and Lawrence H. Ganong. The Encyclopedia contains approximately 600 entries and is available in both digital and print formats.
Blaeuer’s entry discusses the history of the National Affordable Housing Act as well as its consequences, especially in South Florida. Blaeuer conducts research on the communication surrounding community development and engagement. Blaeuer (PhD, University of South Florida) joined the FIU faculty in August 2011 after serving on the Barry University faculty. He teaches courses at FIU that include Artistic Expression, Communication Theory, and Communication Leadership.
Webb’s entry summarizes numerous studies examining how family members use new media to communicate with each other. The entry also describes the positive and negative consequences of families adopting communication technologies. Webb conducts research on computer-mediated communication in personal relationships. Webb (PhD, University of Oregon) joined the FIU faculty in August 2013 after serving on the University of Arkansas faculty. She teaches courses at FIU that include Interpersonal Communication, Conflict Management, and Communication in Social Media.
According to Sage Publishing “The Social History of the American Family” is an ideal reference for students and researchers who want to explore political and social debates about the importance of the family and its evolving constructions.” The Encyclopedia is available via amazon.com.
