Child Marriage
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I believe the reading value of this book far exceeds its historical text itself. It is first and foremost a model of social work methods and ethics, demonstrating how to understand complex social problems through systematic interviews, case records, and social analysis. Richmond's exploration of the motivations behind "child marriage"—such as economic pressure, family attitudes, legal loopholes, and community culture of tacit acceptance—offers an analytical framework that remains illuminating today. Second, the book is a window into the social landscape of an era; readers can see the struggles and choices of ordinary families amid industrialization and urbanization.
Although the subject matter has a specific temporal and spatial background, the core principles Richmond upheld—"respecting client self-determination" and "understanding individuals in context"—as well as her commitment to tracing social problems to their roots, offer a profound methodological baptism for all modern readers concerned with social justice, engaged in helping professions, or interested in sociological research. The translation of this book provides a rare classic model for social work education and practice in China.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Students, researchers, and practitioners in social work and sociology, as classic literature for close study
- History enthusiasts interested in early twentieth-century American social history, family history, or issues concerning women and children
- Professionals engaged in youth services, family services, or related policy research, seeking historical perspectives and case inspiration
- Readers who enjoy non-fiction based on solid investigation and are willing to think about the roots of social problems
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting fiction or novelistic plots; this book is an academic research work
- Readers seeking light entertainment or a fast reading experience; the content is substantial and requires a certain degree of focus
Reading tips
- It is advisable to first read the translator's preface or related introduction to learn about Mary Ellen Richmond's life, academic standing, and the book's historical background, which will help orient the reading
- When reading, focus on Richmond's case records and analytical process, and appreciate how she extracts social factors from concrete details—this is the essence of the book's methodology
- Consider comparing the phenomena in the book with contemporary social issues; although the times differ greatly, many debates about family, child welfare, and social intervention still resonate
About the publisher
East China University of Science and Technology Press is a comprehensive university press known for publishing university textbooks, academic monographs and supplementary teaching materials, and it has also developed a distinctive list in classics and foreign literature. Its 825 titles in the library cover common categories such as classics, foreign literature, inspirational growth and social novels. Representative books include the Japanese editions of Selected Works of Lu Xun (The True Story of Ah Q, Hometown, Medicine, Kong Yiji and A Madman's Diary), the English original edition of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, the English edition of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, and English and American literary readers such as Anne of Green Gables. Its authors range from Lu Xun and Inoue Kōbai in Chinese and Japanese literature to foreign writers such as Christie, Montgomery and Fitzgerald, as well as Zhu Wei and Xu Naifu. Overall, the press balances textbooks and academic works with general reading, giving equal weight to Chinese and foreign literary classics.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 学术顾问
- 学术委员会
- 编辑委员会
- 译者委员会
- 内容提要
- 总序 华彩百年学术传道风云世纪专业流芳
- 第一章 导论
- 第二章 结婚年龄
- 一、生理层面
- 二、气候与地理层面
- 三、种族层面
- 四、社会层面
- 五、最低结婚年龄应该是多少
- 第三章 已婚儿童
- 一、问题的大小
- 二、问题的一些典型特征
- 三、怀孕案例的例外
- 四、与儿童福利法的冲突
- 第四章 父母同意
- 一、过去父母对婚姻的控制
- 二、父母同意与童婚
- 三、目前的情况
- 四、针对父母同意提出的替代方案
- 五、婚姻废除
- 第五章 年龄的证明
- 一、现在要求提交的证据种类
- 二、可适用的证据种类
- 第六章 下一步
- 学术关键词
- 参考文献
- 译后记
FAQ
Is this book a novel? Is it a story about child marriage?
Will this book be too difficult for readers who are not social work majors?
This book discusses the situation in America nearly a hundred years ago; does it still have meaning for us today?
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About the author
Mary Ellen Richmond was an early key figure in social work, and five of her works are held in this collection, all in the social sciences. Public information is limited, and her birth and death years, nationality, education, and positions cannot be verified, yet from the body of works alone it is clear that she consistently addressed the links between social diagnosis, casework, and charitable practice. Social Diagnosis and Introduction to Social Case Work show her systematic treatment of casework methods, while Friendly Visiting Among the Poor: A Handbook for Charity Workers addresses frontline charity workers with practical visiting principles. Child Marriages touches on social problems within the institution of marriage, and The Good Neighbor in the Modern City turns to neighborly relations and community mutual aid amid urbanization. These works are plain in language and oriented toward practice, stressing social relief grounded in investigation and diagnosis and making an early exploration of how social work professionalization might connect with charitable practice.
