The Institution of Marriage

Paper Summary:

This paper claims that marriage, as an institution, in Western and modern societies is on the decline. It explains that one of the central causes of this decline is the increase of secularization. The paper tries to assess the extent of this decline and to establish whether this trend is applicable to all or most modern societies and if this indicates the demise of marriage as an institution.

From the Paper:

"Many studies on this topic suggest that the very ideals of marriage are being questioned by many young people today who believe that marriage no longer serves a necessary purpose in society. The institution of the family is also being affected by this questioning and by various arguments which indicate that the conventional structure of the family is socially or culturally relative and not a necessary ideal to strive for. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barber, N. ( 2000) Why Parents Matter: Parental Investment and Child Outcomes. 2000. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey Publishers.
• Marriage Rate Decline In New York City Mirrors National Trend. Jet; 1/31/2000
• Cessario R. The Decline of Marriage. ( Book Review) Retrieved March 30, 2006. http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9812/reviews/cessario.html
• Doyle R. ( 1999) The Decline of Marriage. Retrieved March 29, 2006 from Scientific American, Dec. 1999. Web site: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000068B7-1673-1C74-9B81809EC588EF21
• Maher, B. (2003, January). Patching Up the American Family. World and I, 18, 56. Retrieved October 30, 2005, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002507061

More papers on The Institution of Marriage:

• Article Review # 132374 : "Sociology of the Family and the Institution of Marriage"
• Analytical Essay # 72840 : "The Social Institution Of Marriage"
• Term Paper # 122616 : "The Future of Marriage"

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