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'Beyond the family' is an Australian Research Council Discovery Project, investigating fragmented families and household dynamics in England, circa1400-1830. We aim to provide a systematic analysis of the extent, variety and significance of non-nuclear family forms in this period, explore their affective relationships and locate them in European contexts. Our approach draws on methods from literary textual analysis to statistical demography and we are concerned to recognise and address power differences and contests within domestic groups. The project will present new research on medieval and early modern non-nuclear family structures, to provide fresh perspectives on the historical context of the perceived 'breakdown' of nuclear families in modern western-type societies.