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The Global Third Way Debate
edited by Anthony Giddens, published by Polity Press, 2001 and including a chapter 'The Family Way' by Helen Wilkinson.

Left-of-centre governments are currently in power in many countries have. In greater or lesser degree, all have moved away from traditional doctrines, and policies, recognizing that left values have to be pursued by different means today. The term 'third way' has become a widely accepted, if controversial label referring to these attempts at ideological and policy innovation. The debate that has arisen around such developments is a truly world-wide one, stretching from the US and Europe through to Asia, Australasia and Latin America. Anthony Giddens has been perhaps the foremost contributors to the global third way discussion. In this book he has brought together some of the key contributions from different parts of the world.

"The family is of key importance in current political debates. Helen Wilkinson proposes a third way in family policy. The right sees changes in family life as reflecting the decay of the traditional family. Reestablishing traditional family forms, rightists say is the only means of restoring strong family ties. The left, by contrast, has often been unconcerned about changes affecting the family, seeing a plurality of living arrangements as good and desirable. We need to break with each of these views. Some changes in the family are deeply worrying and must be a focus of government response; but returning to the traditional family is not an option".
Anthony Giddens

'This book widens the debate to worldwide issues.' Iain Dale, Bookseller Buyers Guide

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