Personal relationships in late modernity

This article is concerned with the significance of personal relationships i n contemporary social life, principally drawing on recent British research. After reviewing traditional sociological theories concerning the impact of economic transformations on family and community ties, the author examines the character of couple and family commitment in the context of the radica l demographic changes that have been occurring, particularly in patterns of family formation and dissolution. Relating these changes to theories of "l ate modernity," the author assesses their implications for the relevance of personal relationships in general, and friendship in particular, in contem porary social formations. The author's argument is that far from becoming s ocially marginal as dominant theories generally imply, personal relationshi ps are likely to become increasingly significant as social life becomes mor e fragmented and less predictable.