Marriage in a Culture of Divorce (review)

Marriage in a Culture of Divorce By Karla B. Hackstaff. Temple University Press, 1999. Cloth, $59.50; paper, $22.95.

Some critics suggest that the traditional wedding vow "Till Death Do Us Part" should be replaced by more honest vows that reflect the low commitment couples now bring to marriage; "Till Hard Times Arrive," or "Until Something Better Comes Along." Whether divorce is the result of a lack of commitment or not, there is no doubt that the baby boomers who married in the 70s or 80s faced considerably higher chances of divorce than their parents did. Almost everyone seems touched by divorce in some way, whether they are married or not.

In this very well-written book, Karla Hackstaff answers several provocative and important questions: Does the high incidence of divorce influence people's understanding of marriage? Do high divorce rates temper the traditional vows of permanence? Are people responding to the seeming weakness of marriage? Do high divorce rates make people more likely to think about ending their marriages? And is gender equality part of the divorce culture? The answer to all these questions is yes.

Hackstaff believes that the 1970s were a turning point in how Americans understand marriage. The marital watershed of the 1970s refers to the decline of "marriage culture" and the rise of "divorce culture." Marriage culture is a cluster of beliefs, symbols, and practices based on three ideas: marriage is a given, marriage is forever, and divorce is a last resort. Divorce culture, in contrast, views marriage as an option, marriage as contingent, and divorce as a gateway.

The author analyzed in-depth longitudinal interviews (from the Institute of Human Development) of 26 individuals first married around 1950. She compared these with 34 original interviews conducted for this book. The bulk of the book is devoted to detailed and careful analysis of these interviews. Separate chapters are devoted to individual couples who illustrate themes found in the 60 interviews. These chapters reveal the complexity of marriage and the difficult choices spouses make in their efforts to sustain one another.

Not surprisingly, couples married in the 1950s embraced marriage culture obviously, strongly, and often unquestioningly. Though some of these couples admit to having thoughts about divorce as their marriages encounter difficult times, such thoughts remain largely unexpressed. The parents of the baby boom generation struggled with changing times as ideas of gender equality spread throughout society. Such struggles occurred many years into the marriages, however, muting their consequences. And for the most part, equality was seen as something that matters in public, not in private.

The baby boomers look back on their parents' generation as one in which divorce was simply not possible. As the author notes "The 70's spouses tend to 'locate' marriage culture in the past and divorce culture in the present." In contrast to their parents, younger married individuals view stable marriages as something to take pride in, not something to take as a given. The younger generation has developed a "marital work ethic" as one strategy for contending with divorce culture -- a view that marriage in a culture of divorce requires greater efforts than in the past. And gender equality is now dealt with as something in the home, not a public issue.

Divorce appears to have taken a poignant toll on young married couples. When asked "what's the biggest surprise of your marriage?" a common reply was "that it's gotten better over time" or "that it's gone so smoothly." If the author's interviews fairly portray modern marriages, then many young people do not expect much from matrimony.

Hackstaff is at her best when analyzing comments about the role of gender in marriage. As she explains, "it is the transition to gender equality that unsettles institutional arrangements, including marital commitments." Throughout the book, she offers valuable insights about how challenging the transition to equal marriages has been, and will continue to be.

There is room for another book in...