Unhappy Families

Adam Ferner's short, engaging book explores the ethical and political dimensions of parenthood, childcare and reproduction, and the dominant ethos of the family, in a world riven by conflict, inequality and the absence of hope.

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Adam Ferner's engaging and personal book explores the ethical dimensions of childcare in a world riven by conflict and inequality. He argues that widespread attitudes towards biological parenthood contribute to these worsening crises and examines the liberatory potential of foster-care and adoption.



Written in a clear and jargon-free style, the book is informed by both Ferner’s training as a philosopher and his extensive experience as a child support worker. His analysis foregrounds the concerns of young people largely marginalized by society, and he argues against the prevailing orthodoxy that hope is a necessary element of childcare. The book challenges us to look afresh at our everyday notions of parenthood, childcare and having children, and to question the dominant ethos of the family.