Transcript Reading Guide for: What are the benefits of traditional marriage

Reading Guide for: What are the benefits of
traditional marriage? - Hymowitz,
“Introduction” and “Marriage and Caste”
City College, Work and Family
A QUICK REVIEW
Theoretical Perspectives of the Family:
Post Modernists

The family no longer conforms to a single type



It no longer makes sense to see the nuclear family as the
dominant family structure. Different kinds of household no coexist.
Family structure is in a constant state of change and families
are fashioned and refashioned to meet changing needs.
These changes as part of a transformation of intimacy, a move
away from tradition, giving couples much more choice about
personal relationships
Theoretical Perspectives of the Family:
New Right
The ‘traditional’ patriarchal nuclear family with a
breadwinner husband and homemaker wife is the kind
best equipped to be self reliant rather than depending on
the welfare state.

Welfare has reduced the role of the father, and created a
dependency culture.
What do we mean by “Caste”?
Caste - an endogamous and hereditary social group limited
to persons of the same rank, occupation, and economic
position.
1.
2.
3.
Endogamy means marrying within the same social group
Hereditary meaning you are born into this social group
There is no mobility between social groups
When these conditions are present, we can say we have a
caste system.
Examples of Caste
Caste System in India
Caste System in the US (pre
1960’s)
INTRODUCTION
Hymowitz – “Introduction”
“the breakdown of marriage in the United States – which
began about forty years ago as divorce and out-ofwedlock birthrates started to soar – threatens America’s
future. It is turning us into a nation of separate and
unequal families” – p. 3
Hymowitz – “Introduction”
“Most people assume that divorce, unmarried
motherhood, fatherlessness, and custody battles are all
equal opportunity domestic misfortunes…[but] the
assumption that Americans are all in the same boat when
it comes to marriage collapse is dead wrong.” – p. 3 and 4
Hymowitz – “Introduction”
Woman A
 In poverty/near poverty
 Have children at a young age
 Lack skills and education
 Single
Woman B
 Middle class
 Delayed childbirth
 College educated
 Married
Woman A’s Children
 Lower academic
achievement
 In poverty/near poverty
 Have children at a young age
 Less likely to be married
Woman B’s Children
 Higher academic
achievement
 Middle class
 Delayed childbirth
 More likely to be married
Hymowitz – “Introduction”

There are two “castes” in the United States. The single
mothers and their children are one cast, and married families
and their children are another.
1.
Endogamy means marrying within the same social group

(There are two groups of people – those who are married, and
those who are not)
Hereditary meaning you are born into this social group
2.

(The children of single women are born into the group with lower
expected academic achievement)
There is no mobility between social groups
3.

(Children born to single parents are less likely to marry into the
“marriage caste”)
Hymowitz – “Introduction”

Argues that American marriage was to be different than
marriages elsewhere.




No arranged marriages
No extended kin networks
American marriage was focused on the independent
nuclear family
This is called “The Mission”:
“a freely choosing, self-governing, economically independent
couple grooming children to become free, self-governing,
economically independent adults.” – p.6
Hymowitz – “Introduction”

In the late 1960’s elements of society began to disconnect
marriage from childbearing (the “unmarriage revolution”)




Civil rights activists
Feminists
Academics
She argues that this was unfortunate because this was not
the ideals in which America was founded upon (raising
children who themselves could be independent)
Hymowitz – “Introduction”
The Life Script
 This is another word for “socialization”. Argues that there
is a middle class script that needs to be followed in order
to have success in society today

For young men, they often want to be fathers, but do not
have the necessary role models to show them how

For the children of single mothers, they do not have
access to the middle class script…
Hymowitz – “Introduction”
The Life Script
Complete
High School

Complete
College
Get
Married
Have
Children
Argues that people in the “marriage caste” follow this
script, and children of people in the “marriage caste”
follow this script.


Lower chances of being in poverty
Children have better life chances
CHAPTER 1
MARRIAGE AND CASTE
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”
The Trends
 Argues that many people note that American society is
divided into the “haves” and “have-nots”, but focus solely
on the economy

After the 1960’s, our opinions about marriage change

Up until 1980, women of all levels of education were
divorcing at increased rates
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”

But then, educated women stopped divorcing at higher
rates, and the rate of divorce for this group has decreased

Since the 1980’s more educated women were delaying
marriage, and then marrying later
This is clearly a different interpretation of the statistics on
marriage. Instead of looking at American society as a
whole, or racial groups, she is looking at the difference
between educated and non-educated women.
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”
Statistics Supporting the Two Castes Idea
 10% of mothers with a college degree live without
husbands…36% of mothers with less than a college
degree live without husbands

36% of female-headed families live in poverty…6% of
married couples live in poverty

92% of children who live in households making $75000 or
more live in two parent homes
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”

The environments that children are born into are
radically different…
Children of Married Caste
Children of Single Parent Caste
Older mature parents
Younger less experienced mother
More stable
Less stable
More educated
Less educated
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”

The outcomes of these children are radically different…
Children of Married Caste
Children of Single Parent Caste
Greater academic attainment
Lower academic attainment
Higher probability of attending elite
schools
Lower probability of attending elite
schools
Higher occupational prestige
Lower occupational prestige
Lesser psychological problems
More psychological problems
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”

The author notes that the nuclear family works far better
than other types of two parent arrangements.



It is not simply that two people are better than one.
Step-fathers are not as effective as biological fathers
People who cohabitate are not as effective as married couples.
She is suggesting that post-modern theorists are wrong in
celebrating changes to family structure.
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”

She raises questions about the “marriageable men
hypothesis”..



Its not just unemployed men who are not getting married, even
working class men are not
If there are no men good enough to marry, why are they good
enough to cohabitate with?
Even men with low prestige jobs are a benefit to a household
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”
She asks a different question…
“Why do more economically independent, better
educated women choose to marry, when they are the
very ones who can afford not to?”
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”
She gives a CULTURAL answer…
Educated women tend to more dedicated to the
“Mission”. They understand that in modern society
having a husband is a must have for successful child
rearing. High status women choose to marry because
that is the best way for their children to retain their way
of life.
Hymowitz – “Marriage and Caste”
She gives a CULTURAL answer…
The educated women still believe in marriage as an institution
for raising children…this assumption is itself an invaluable
piece of cultural and psychological capital.
Summary

Hymowitz gives a cultural answer to the question of
single parent hood in the United States

She suggests that there two groups forming in society
(two castes)



Women and their children who are single parents
Married families and their children
These two groups are headed in different directions in
society, and this is damaging for the US