Abstract
This paper discusses the findings of three studies into the most common causes for divorce in the USA, explaining that any marriage that ends in divorce, has issues along the way that arise and are either dealt with, or not. The paper ends with the conclusion that the nature of divorce in America, coupled with the many influences from media, and family life, make divorce an easy choice for many Americans.

From the Paper
"There are varying reasons for divorce, from those as specific as infidelity, to more generic justifications such as "irreconcilable differences". The most commonly diagnosed problems in failed marriages are: poor communication, financial problems, lack of commitment to the marriage, a dramatic change in priorities, and infidelity. Somewhat less commonplace are the following: Failed expectations, unmet needs, addictions, accuse, and failure to resolve conflict."

Tags:communication, money, expectations

Abstract
The paper asserts that many Americans look forward to the state of marriage, but how many Americans can say the same for divorce? The paper reveals that a divorce can be costly on many levels; financially, emotionally and idealistically, yet, despite the misery entailed with this kind of a separation, millions of new divorce papers are filed every year in the United States. The paper examines the underlying causes of divorce as a means of moving towards a national rate reduction. The paper believes that by studying the roles and behavioral patterns of the individual in a society, we can also learn how those relationships contribute to a pathway towards divorce when the individuals are partnered.

Tags:divorce, society, roles

Abstract
The paper posits that many books have been written about divorce, but few have deeply examined the significant negative effects that divorce can have upon children. The paper asserts that the book by psychologist Carl Pickhardt is an important contribution to the subject matter which aims to be comprehensive and to deal directly with the problem of children and divorce from a psychological rather than legal vantage point. The paper argues that Pickhardt's work here fills a critical need in presenting to a general audience the many complex effects of divorce on children, and how parents may be able to mitigate these effects. The paper asserts that Pickhardt's information is sometimes simplistic, but his goal of providing a comprehensive work for the general public is a valid one.

From the Paper
"Many books have been written in recent years about divorce, but few have deeply examined the significant and generally very negative effects that divorce can have upon children of a divorcing couple. The book by psychologist Carl Pickhardt currently under review here is an important contribution to the subject matter which aims to be comprehensive and to deal directly with the problem of children and divorce from a psychological rather than legal vantage point. Pickhardt's work here fills..."

Tags:divorce, child psychology, parenting

Abstract
The paper relates that when divorce occurs in the family every child is affected differently ("Effects", n.d., para. 1); children may exhibit a variety of behaviors caused by the divorce, such as bed-wetting, attempts at suicide or drug abuse ("Effects", n.d., para. 3). The paper explains that this is because children often feel that when divorce occurs it is somehow their responsibility to attempt to hold the family together and that they are to blame for the disruption in the household. According to the University of Minnesota, the child may also believe that he or she is "powerless", is tasked with taking care of the parents or may experience grief because of the loss that is experienced ("Effects", n.d., para. 2). The paper refers to how Leon and Cole (2007) discuss the issue of divorce and the immediate impact that this occurrence may have on the child and his or her relationship with siblings. The paper also looks at the works of Berger and DeBord on this subject.

From the Paper
"When divorce occurs in the family every child is affected differently ("Effects", n.d., para. 1). Children may exhibit a variety of behaviors caused by the divorce, such as bed-wetting, attempts at suicide or drug abuse ("Effects", n.d., para. 3). This is because children often feel that when divorce occurs it is somehow their responsibility to attempt to hold the family together and that they are to blame for the disruption in the household. According to the University of Minnesota, the child may also believe that he or she is "powerless", is tasked with taking care of the parents or may experience grief because of the loss that is experienced..."

Tags:psych, divorce, children

Abstract
This paper examines the impact of divorce in relation to gender. The paper demonstrates the different challenges faced by women and men after divorce, and the differing effect of divorce on their adjustment process. The paper considers economics, coping skills and opportunity for self-development, which may all be more constrained for many women. The paper also discusses the social reasons for divorce and examines the development of new intimate relationships by both men and women.

Tags:divorce, women, men, gender

Abstract
This paper discusses the causes of divorce and explores why people are getting divorces when these people were once in love. The paper relates that while many people frown on divorce, the fact is that couples often are not committed to one another. The paper discusses three specific reasons for divorce that are infidelity, financial discord, and lack of communication.

From the Paper
"The rate of marriages in the United States is 7.5 per 1,000 with the divorce rate as 3.6 per 1,000 (Marriage and Divorce). Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Looking back in the early history of marriage in the United States will show that most couples that got married stayed marriage regardless of the problems existing in the marriage. "Society frowned on divorce and divorced people were likely to find themselves social pariahs" (Common Causes and Reasons for Divorce). However, the statistics show that more and more marriages are ending in divorce. The question that many people think about when it comes to divorce is why..."

Tags:divorce, marriage, causes

Abstract
The paper discusses how the creation of lasting relationships through marriage and families offers individuals significant challenges in the modern world. The paper notes that many couples elect to cohabitate, rather then enter a legal relationship, which is largely impacted by the strength and independence of modern women. The paper also points out that those individuals that marry today have a 50% chance of getting divorced at some point in their married lives. The paper discusses how in every state in the nation, divorce is available and it is apparent that younger married couples will seek divorce nore than their older counterparts. The paper looks at how when there are children involved in the first marriage, the prospect of a new marriage following divorce is more readily accepted by men than women, yet, when stepfamilies do occur, they face the struggles and issues that are primarily related to children, blood relationships and views of how the new family should function.

From the Paper
"The paper shall focus on cohabitation, divorce and stepfamilies. Each of these issues will be discussed in relation to the impact that it has on the individuals within society and the facts that are connected to the life events. The work of Eshleman will be used to explore each of these concerns, with the research offering facts that are connected to the most current state of cohabitation, divorce and stepfamilies. These areas of concern are significant within society because they impact the beliefs and lifestyle practices of people throughout the globe. In the United States these issues have an even greater importance because it is in this country..."

Tags:family, marriage, divorce

Abstract
The following paper critically analyzes whether divorce is a devastating act that reverberates down the decades, inflicting permanent harm on adults and children or whether it is a healing act for the family torn by conflicts that are far worse than any divorce might be.

From the paper:

" Wallerstein's research is anecdotal, limited to a homogeneous, affluent, Caucasian sample, and was not contrasted with a control group. She did not track similar families torn by conflicts who nonetheless stayed together. Her work's most serious flaw, however, is her skewed sample: every family came to her because they were already experiencing serious problems. And thus her work has been criticized by some colleagues, because it does not take into account the complex tangle of emotions and difficulties that dysfunctional families suffer, whether they divorce or not."

Tags:pain, divorce, process, healing, healthy, partnership, society, psychologist, counseling, commitment

Abstract
The paper examines eight of Alice Walker's writings that show examples of the broken-family theme to illustrate the family structure changes in American society and how her personal experience affects her writings. The paper looks closely at "The Third Life of Grange Copeland," "Everyday Use," "Strong Horse Tea," "The Flowers," "How Did I Get Away With Killing One of the Biggest Lawyers in the State? It Was Easy," "The Color Purple," "Poem at Thirty-Nine" and "My Daughter is Coming!". The paper shows how these writings realistically portray the African-American family structure that is incomplete or broken.

Outline:
The Third Life of Grange Copeland
Everyday Use
Strong Horse Tea
The Flowers
How Did I Get Away With Killing One of the Biggest Lawyers in the State? It Was Easy
The Color Purple
Poem at Thirty-Nine
My Daughter is Coming!
Conclusion

From the Paper
"At the age of eight in 1952, Alice Walker (1944- ) was shot with a pellet from her brother's BB gun in the right eye causing her blindness. This disfigurement was quite distinguishable, and Walker viewed the eye as a "deformity," which had a great impact on her life (Winchell ix). Her grades suffered and she developed a sad countenance, often feeling ashamed and suicidal. Her confidence and her belief that she was pretty vanished. Believing that her eye was permanently disfigured, Walker "retreated inward, no longer wanting to explore the wide-open spaces of nature, but instead focusing more on reading and writing than on her surroundings" (Wilson 39)."

Tags:African-American, divorce, separation, death, orphans, parents

Abstract
This paper provides insight and analysis on Mark A. Noll's article, "God and Race in American Politics: A Short History." The paper describes the article as based on the idea that the religious standards of antebellum America and all the contentious rhetoric associated with the questions of the determination of standards laws, and even election outcomes, have been significantly influential even to the present. The paper asserts that the ideal of moral standards surrounding race and religion are the basis of modern political stratification. The paper concludes that when individuals in the modern era seek reconciliation for "modern" conflicts, they often fail to look at the seat and source of interpretive conflict through the lens of history, so while Noll's arguments are foundational and largely easy to follow, the need for his work is evident because many seem to like the idea of divorcing "modern" problems from history and seeking only "modern" explanations.

From the Paper
"Noll's assessment of the influence and power that mainstreamed theological education, among both blacks and whites is an essential aspect of how he argues that the religious and moral rhetoric associated with the Civil Rights Movement was shaped. In his chapter specifically on civil rights he gives several examples of how religious rhetoric moved through the institutions that had historical roots in faith and the dissemination of the moral proofs of faith into mainstream education. This thesis is significant in that many institutions, for both blacks and whites in the early days were founded by religious orders and when those institutions began to transition to more modern ideals they also borrowed from more diverse religious sources to do so. The example of how Gandhi's teachings were integrated into mainstream education for blacks is a foundational argument that supports this thesis as well as the whole thesis of the work. Individuals seeking more modern and multicultural ideals regarding how to demonstrate that all peoples are equal and should have equal rights, including those in the minority did not have far to search as they looked to world examples for what to call the system in which minorities lived, one theologian going so far as to call the system a caste system, that unfairly held black youth within a standard that would not translate to modern culture and left them with significant obstacles to overcome. (pp. 111-112)"

Tags:racism, Christianity, church, African-American, role