Family history in the 1980s: past achievements and future trends

Abstract

This article is a review of developments in social history since World War II with particular emphasis on the spectacular expansion in the subfield of family history. In a section on historical demography the method of family reconstitution is described and some results of using the method are summarized. Developments and problems of historical studies on topics such as household structure family structure and sexuality are also examined. The emphasis is on studies carried out in England France and the United States. (ANNOTATION)