Divorce Revision - Part 2

Here’s another couple of snippets for revision on divorce. It’s often a topic which the textbooks can be a bit thin on, so here are a couple of other theories to consider.

Anthony Giddens and the Transformation of Intimacy

Giddens book of the above title is itself getting on a bit these days. But anyway, it makes some interesting claims.

Giddens argues that family life is becoming increasingly democratised.

Family life nowadays is less about tradition and living your life as fate and more about achieving personal development and emotional satisfaction.

Women are now more independent and able to voice and act upon their demands for equality in marriage.

This has created problems for men as contemporary ideas of masculinity and men’s role in marriage are having to be re-thought.

Duncombe and Marsden

A less optimistic view comes from Jean Duncombe and Dennis Marsden of the University of Essex.

They argue, based on research interviews with a sample of 40 couples, that men are less capable of dealing with emotions and leave the emotional aspects of family life to their wives.

Duncombe and Marsden suggest that women now have, not a double-burden, as Ann Oakley argued, but a triple burden - paid work, housework, and emotion work.

These pieces could both offer suggestions or elements of an explanation as to why divorce has increased. You can also refer to both studies in any conjugal roles question - but do explain clearly why they are relevant.