Marriage has been the bedrock of family law. Yet, this bedrock is at once crumbling within some socio-economic groups while still serving as the core family structure for other classes. As one recent article notes, marriage for the twenty-something population was roughly 60% in 1960 but was down to only 20% in 2010. College educated women are now more likely to be married while women in lower socio-economic classes marry less, creating a marriage gap. Articulating and defining marriage has also changed. For example, more than a dozen jurisdictions recognize marriage for same-sex couples. Even within heterosexual marriage, the roles of husbands and wives have changed in the past few decades and greater egalitarianism regarding parenting, housework, and outside work for pay have fundamentally changed what it means to be married. This panel will explore whether the institution of marriage has a future, for whom, and what the future shape(s) of marriage will be.
Business meeting at program conclusion.