Description:
Marriage is a controversial issue. It is widely discussed in policy terms, but in the UK, Australia and the US there is a clash of values between governments and diverse groups which strongly oppose or support marriage. In the meantime, fewer couples are marrying, while cohabitation and divorce rates are high. This book explores this disconnect by examining policy issues such as class divides, welfare dependency, religion, same-sex marriage, gender relations and romance.
Review Quotes:
'Van Acker's new book locates the debates over the past, present and future of marriage in their broader political context and skilfully identifies the competing values underpinning different policies on marriage. It will be a very valuable contribution to the literature and illuminates why formulating policy on marriage is so difficult!' - Rebecca Probert, University of Warwick, UK
'The very word "marriage" has become a loaded political term, not only inflaming debates about same-sex partnerships, but complicating discussion of the relationship between neo-liberalism and inequality, individual responsibility and social fabric, multiculturalism and persistent racism and religious differences. In this volume, Australian political scientist Liz van Acker explores the question of why marriage has become a political dividing line in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, providing new insight into the source and role of values during a period of economic and cultural change.' - June Carbone, Robina Chair of Law, Science and Technology, University of Minnesota Law School