Research Proposal and Plan

I am interested in studying how the concept of American marriage has changed over time, especially focusing on the change throughout the twentieth century. Marriage as a social institution has changed from the 1950’s with the “nuclear family” to the less formalized structure of marriage today. Marriage is no longer expected of people, it is increasingly optional and there is less of a stigma placed on other lifestyles, such as cohabitation and single parenthood. Americans’ beliefs and ideologies on marriage have shifted. I would like to know if economic reasons were the main cause of this change in marriage, or if other movements in American society have played a role. I will look at how love and romance have influenced today’s reasons for marriage as opposed to earlier marriages formed purely for political and economic purposes.  I am interested in focusing on the overall sociological changes in marriage as a social institution and how our mainstream cultural ideals have shifted in American society.

There are several different factors that may explain this shift, thus it is highly debated among contemporary sociologists. Some sociologists argue that the decrease in marriage reflects the current amount of women in the workforce who do not accept the traditional family roles and can sufficiently support themselves. Other sociologists argue that the American ideology has shifted towards individualism and that personal success is more important to people than taking part in traditional family roles. The steady rates of marriage and divorce may also be attributed to the cycle of being raised in one-parent homes. Studies show that children who were raised by a single parent may be more likely to accept that type of lifestyle and create it for themselves later in life.

Research and analyzing how marriage has changed is significant because it explains how our society has changed throughout the past seventy years.  The changes in major social institutions, such as marriage, should be significant to the government when considering different lawmaking options. Societal beliefs on marriage will affect divorce laws as well as legal regulations for same-sex couples. The change in marriage as a social institution is also significant for those in society who are making life decisions based on the role of marriage and thus need to stay informed on its changing role. In the controversies relating to marriage, the main parties argue that America has become demoralized and that the current generation of young adults is considered promiscuous and irresponsible. Many older generations view the shift in a negative way and thus do not observe how the American culture as a whole has changed. One of the main stakeholders on this topic is the current generation of young adults who are experiencing the age where marriage is an option.  Their views on marriage are being challenged by the opposing stakeholder, older generations, who have different expectations for what a marriage and family should mirror. Children in today’s society are also stakeholders because they are directly affected by the relationships of their parents. Finally, various sociologists are also important stakeholders with their differing theories on why marriage has changed.

My research project will challenge the official stories of marriage. I support the theory that there has been a shift in American culture and norms which does not necessarily mean that America has been demoralized. Different family structures are now acceptable and it is normal to have high priorities in life besides family. Sociological studies support that marriage still holds personal value, but now Americans have other priorities that they must balance as well.

My research so far has included several articles from sociological journals. I initially started on the topic of marriage in general and how it has changed as a social institution in American society. I started looking into low-income families and their issues with marital relations. This led me to the U.S. welfare system and its benefits for married couples. These findings made me question whether or not it was economically beneficial to be married and if that was a leading reason for marriage today. I looked at marriage rates during the Great Depression and discovered that marriages were more stable and thus less divorce resulted during that time period. After examining marriage economics, I decided that it was too broad and to go into the welfare system would be a whole different research project itself. This is why I have decided to focus on the overall sociological changes that have occurred in the institution of marriage and thus how our cultural ideals have shifted in American society.

        I am looking into different sociologists’ perspectives on why these changes in marriage have occurred. Certain sociologists argue that the movement of women into the workforce led to shifts in family roles, which affected marriage. Another prominent sociologist, Ernest Burgess, argued that American marriage has moved into a phase of “individualism,” where personal success comes before the desire to have traditional family roles. There are other theorists that perceive Americans as having lost their morals, and use that to explain the declining trend in marriage. I plan on doing more readings on cultural trends in marriage, including several books by Stephanie Coontz, Marriage, A History and The Way We Never Were. I find the history of marriage to be very interesting. It is interesting to see how marriage has been depicted in literature and media through the past several centuries as well. These depictions reflect the mainstream, pop-culture ideologies of the time, and it is intriguing to read about how love and romance have played a role in marriage. The question of whether or not a love-based marriage fosters the sense of individualism is also an important question to consider. I am also looking at books by other sociologists such as Andrew Cherlin, Nancy Cott, and David Newman. The main databases I have searched so far are JSTOR, America: History and Life, WorldCat, and MLA International Bibliography. I have searched under different key words including marriage trends, history, purposes, and benefits, as well as individualism, and twenty-first century relationships.

As I continue my research, I will look deeper into the different sociological theories of why marriage has changed. I know I need to specify a more definite time period to look at the cultural changes. I will be doing most of my research within sociological journals and books, while potentially looking into different statistics to help support my claim.

Works Cited

Aasave, Arnstein, Simon Burgess, and Carol Propper. “The Role of Income in Marriage and Divorce Transitions.” Journal of Population Economics, Vol. 16, No. 3. 2003. 105-116

Bianchi, Suzanne M. and Lynne M. Casper. Continuity and Change in the American Family. Sage Pulications. 2002.

Bramlett, M.D. and W.D. Mosher. “Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the United States.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2002.

Cherlin, Andrew J. “American Marriage in the Early Twenty-First Century.” The Future of Children, Vol. 15, No. 2. 2005. 33-35

--- “The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage.” Journal of Marriage and Family. 2004.

Coontz, Stephanie. Marriage, a History: From Obedience to Intimacy or How Love Conquered Marriage. New York: Viking Penguin. 2005. Print.

Marshall, Lerman, Whitehead, Horn, and Rector. “The Collapse of Marriage and the Rise of Welfare Dependence.” The Heritage Foundation. 22 May 2006.

Newman, David M. The Sociology of Families. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. 1999. Print.

Nock, Steven L. “Marriage as a Public Issue.” The Future of Children. Vol. 15, No. 2. Marriage and Child Welbeing. 2005. Pp 13-32