• Human Ecology Research
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.649-663
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• 2013

As cultural diversity has gained a great deal of attention and the social fabric of Korean society is redefined, the number of studies on multi-cultural family homes has been growing in the area of human ecology, but relevant research is rarely found on the subject of housing. While the emphasis of housing research is on multidisciplinary approaches and empirical research is highly valued, a theoretical and methodological platform for discussing the new rising agenda of multi-cultural family homes is lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore approaches to and to discuss the issues in research for multi-cultural family homes in terms of housing theories and multidisciplinary approaches. To understand the housing related needs of multi-cultural families, this study highlights social constructionism, the ecological perspective, and feminist epistemology. These three multidisciplinary approaches were useful for generating an ontological analysis of multi-cultural family homes. Further, this study highlights two housing related theories, the microsociological and housing pathways approaches, for dealing with multi-cultural family homes. In conclusion, the five approaches were useful for exploring issues in housing research on multi-cultural family homes with appropriate research methods like hermeneutics, quantitative, and qualitative methods, and field research. Insights into using perspectives and holistic approaches might be useful for solving the problems of multi-cultural family homes in Korea.

• Human Ecology Research
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.573-586
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to review the conceptual framework of social constructionism and critical social constructionism in the research area of multi-cultural family homes, using a literature review. Fopp argued that social constructionism had an objectivation problem that only considered the actor side as a policy object; therefore he suggested a weaker social constructionist perspective with moderate relativism and the application of feminist epistemology to marginal life for maximizing objectivity. This article explores a conceptual framework for studying the reality of housing of multi-cultural families in Korea in the light of constructionist ideas and presents a review of empirical positivist data to support the framework. Based on results, using the social constructionist framework, five contexts (structural, institutional, organizational, operational, and intersubjective) were reviewed and ideas were suggested to develop an appropriate future situation for multi-cultural family homes. For a weaker social constructionist framework, three National Survey of Multi-Cultural Family Homes data sets were reviewed to determine the real condition of multi-cultural family homes. Further, from a feminist perspective, the empirical data of marginalized multi-cultural family homes were reviewed from the perspectives of gender inequality of decision making, cultural adaptation, and differentiation in housing related areas. In conclusion, two perspectives were useful for understanding multi-cultural family housing in Korea but must be compensated with substantial empirical data for a holistic approach.

• 한국인구학
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.27-55
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• 2008

이 글은 노무현 정부 5년(2003.3-2008.2)(이하 <참여정부>)동안 이루어졌던 가족정책의 내용을 해당 가족관련법을 중심으로 살펴보고 그 성격을 진단해 보는데 목적이 있다. '여성이 행복한 나라'를 만들기위하여 <참여정부>는 과거 어느 정권보다 가족정책에 적극적인 관심을 보였고 급변하는 가족현실에 대한 대응책을 강구한 정권이기도 하였다. 논의의 편의상, <참여정부> 때에 입안.제정되었던 3개 가족정책법 -"호주제" 폐지 및 "가족관계등록부" 도입(2008.1), "건강가정기본법" 실시(2005.1), 그리고 "다문화가족지원법" 실시 (2008.9)- 을 중심으로 이들 법의 내용 소개 및 평가를 가하였다. 이러한 작업에 기반하여 <참여정부> 기의 가족정책의 가능성과 한계를 지적하였다. 나름대로의 시행착오나 보완사항이 지적되고는 있으나, 우리사회에 양성평등적 개인주의 삶의 양식이 제도적으로 보장되는데 기여한 "가족관계등록부"의 도입이 이루어졌다. 또한, 저출산 고령화 추세 및 가족불안정성에의 대응책으로서 최초의 가족단위 기본법인 "건강가정기본법"의 설정이 있었다. 그리고 다문화 다중정체성이 필요하게 된 시대적 분위기의 반영책으로서 결혼이민자의 법적 지위를 인정한 "다문화가족지원법"의 실시가 그것이다. 이렇듯 과거 어느 정권 보다 전향적이고 적극적인 양성평등지향의, 최초의 가족단위 기본법 제정, 그리고 미래 다문화사회를 위한 가족법의 입안과 집행을 시도했다고 평가할 수 있을 것이다.