Producers: Governors State University

Reviews the supporting functions of a family system, including the creation of congruent images and central family themes. Students learn to discern family boundaries (i.e. rigid, flexible, non-existent), and to define meaningful biosocial issues, such as position, person, and gender orientation. The class also explores how the systemic nature of the family applies to family structure. Featured interview: Dr. Charles Wilkinson, Marriage and Family Therapist.

Uses discussion of a hypothetical family in therapy to illustrate the interconnectedness/systemic nature of the family structure. Several key concepts in systems theory are described, including interdependence, patterns of self-regulation, interactive complexity/punctuation, and structural complexity. The class closes with a discussion on the limitations of a systems approach to analyzing family structures.

Explores the basic dynamics of a multi-generational family. Dr. Galvin introduces genograms – a system of symbols that help students create a family tree for the purpose of recording information about family members, analyzing complex family interaction patterns, and looking at the influence of multiple generations on family relationships. Featured interview: Dr. Charles Wilkinson, Marriage and Family Therapist.

Explores communication challenges in multi-generational families from a standpoint of ethnic and cultural influences. Class begins with a definition of “ethnicity” and then looks at various cultural conceptions of family, particularly those of African-American, Hispanic, Native-American and Italian cultures. Discussion examines the role of ethnicity and culture in creating family values, managing conflict and sharing affection. Featured interviews: Professor Rhunette Diggs (University of Louisville) and students enrolled in Northwestern University’s Master of Science in Communication program.

Examines how family rules and secrets influence communication. Concepts explored in the class include how family rules are created and the purpose they serve, how families come to define such concepts as “outsiders” and “acceptable behavior”, and how family secrets can serve both a positive and negative function. Featured interviews: Professor Anita Vangelisti (University of Texas – Austin) and Dr. Charles Wilkinson, Marriage and Family Therapist.

Explains the four functions of family stories. Students learn how family stories provide moral lessons, help to connect generations, shape personal identity, and socialize new members into the family. Discussion topics also include the universal importance of family stories, the kinds of questions family stories tend to answer, and the genealogical function of family stories. Featured interview: Professor Rives Collins (Northwestern University).