The Evolution of the family in American Liberalism between the 60’s and 80’s

n my project, I attempt to track the convoluted realignment of liberals in the U.S. between the 60’s & 80’s through the lens of a particular social institution: the family. In exploring the inner struggle of liberalism regarding the family, I reached my main thesis: the political landscape of American Liberalism between the 60’s & 80’s featured a conflict between two distinct liberal factions – Great Society liberalism and the Liberation Movements (Second Wave Feminism and Black Power). This conflict, I argue, was won with the support of a decidedly illiberal actor – Neo-Liberalism. While exploring the social and political circumstances that facilitated the modern version of American liberalism, I hope to shed some light on the agency and purpose of this highly ambiguous institution.

Amitai Ben-Porat Illouz

17 years