Scholars working in the fields of labor law, globalization, law and development, and of course gender now encounter the family at every turn. This is sometimes true even when families and households are officially absent from the debate or issue under discussion, as is often the case. Whether the topic is the transformation of labor and employment law, the character of economic restructuring and market reform, or the path of development policy, the place and function of the family turn out to be key items of interest. Noticing, or failing to notice, where the family fits in and what goes on within households may completely change the perception of the issue, the understanding of how social and economic processes operate, and the assessment of what is to be done at the level of norms, policy, and regulation.