divorce

Created by

olivia thorley

Cards (23)

overall trend in divorce 
increased sharply but declining again
number of divorces increased every year from 27,000 in 1961 to 180,000 in 2003
2022 = 80,000 divorces
2021 - 42% of marriages ended in divorce
why have divorce rates declined recently  
less people getting married in the first place
lower number of married people in the population
what do divorce statistics not show
number of people who are separated but not divorced
number of people living in empty shell marriages
how many unstable or unhappy marriages existed before divorce was made easier
2 broad groups of reasons for increase in divorce rate
changes in law = divorce easier and cheaper to get
changes in society = divorce more practical and socially acceptable way of terminating a broken marriage
changes in law and rising divorce rate
1969 divorce reform act makes divorce easier to obtain
3 key legislative changes:
equalising the grounds for divorce between sexes
widening grounds for divorce
making divorce cheaper
grounds equalised in 1923 = sharp rise in divorce petitions made by women
widening of grounds in 1971 made divorce easier to obtain and produced almost double in divorce rate
introduction of legal aid in 1949 lowered costs
declining stigma and changing attitudes and rising divorce rate 
MITCHELL AND GOODY - since 1960's there has been rapid change / decline in stigma attached to divorce
postmodernist - rising divorce rates due to growing individualisation and uncertainty of late / post modern societies
GIDDENS - confluent love and personal fulfilment in relationships have gained significance and people less likely to stay with unsatisfactory partners
divorce no longer hinders careers through public shaming / scandal = people less scared of consequences
secularisation and rising divorce rate 
decline in influence of religion in society
traditional opposition of churches to divorce carries less weight
many churches are softening views on divorce and divorcees
GOODE AND GIBSON - this has resulted in marriage becoming less of a sacred / spiritual union and more of a personal / practical commitment which can be abandoned if fails
= less than 1/3 of marriages involve religious ceremony
rising expectations of marriage and rising divorce rate
FLETCHER - higher expectations placed on marriage mean higher divorce rates as people are less likely to stay in unhappy marriages
historically individuals often had less choice in who they married = unlikely to have high expectations and less likely to be dissatisfied with lack of intimacy etc
functionalists - high rates of re-marriage show divorces arent rejecting marriage as a whole
feminists - oppression of women within family is main cause of marital conflict and divorce
women's increased financial independence and rising divorce rate
less dependant on men
women today more likely to be in paid work
equal pay / discrimination act helped narrow pay gap
girls greater educational success = achieve better paid jobs
ALLAN AND CROW - marriage is less embedded within the economic system
feminist explanations and rising divorce rate
women suffer dual burden which creates extra source of conflict
HOCHSCHILD - for many women the home is comparably unfavourable to work:
women feel valued at work
mens resistance to doing housework = frustration and decreased stability
BERNARD (rad) - many women feel growing dissatisfaction with patriarchal marriage and rise in divorce rates is acceptance of feminist ideas
modernity and individualisation and rising divorce rate
GIDDENS AND BECK - traditional norms losing importance
relationships more fragile as individuals less willing to remain in relationships if it fails to deliver personal fulfilment
rising divorce rate helps normalise this
desertion - alternative to divorce 
one partner leaves the other but remain legally married
annulment - alternative to divorce 
official announcement that the marriage no longer exists / legally void
empty shell marriage - alternative to divorce 
marriage in name only where couple continues to live together under same roof but as separate individuals
may occur where divorce is hard to obtain for legal / financial / religious reasons
greater availability of and more effective contraception and rising divorce rate 
greater availability of and more effective contraception has made it safer to have sex outside of marriage, and with more than one person
weakens traditional constraints on fidelity to a marriage partner and potentially exposes relationships to more instability
growth of privatised nuclear family and rising divorce rate 
functionalists contend growing privatisation and isolation of nuclear family has meant it is no longer easy for marriage partners to seek advice from / temporarily refuge with extended family
isolation increases demands on and expectations of each partner in marriage
less social control from extended kin pressuring couples to retain marriage ties
more pressure on marriage relationships arising and fewer constraints preventing people abandoning marriage, and decision to divorce increasingly lies with only married couple
reduced functions of nuclear family and rising divorce rate 
marriage has become less of a practical necessity, and there are fewer bonds linking marriage partners
love and companionship and personal compatibility are the most important dimensions of contemporary marriages, and if some or all these disappear there is little holding the marriage together
increasing life expectancy and rising divorce rate
people live to a greater age than historically and this means the number of years a couple may be together has increased
this gives more time for marriages to go wrong and for divorces to occur
' divorce courts have taken on the role of finishing unhappy marriages once performed by the undertaker '
variations in divorce rates between social groups
highest rates of divorce among men and women in late 20s
teenage marriages twice as likely to end in divorce
high incidence of divorce in the first 5-7 years and 10-14 years of marriage
working class have a higher divorce rate than middle class
childless couples and partners from different social class or religious backgrounds face higher risk of divorce
couples who's work separates them for long periods at higher risk
functionalist perspective on divorce
high divorce rate is not necessarily a threat to marriage as social institution
simply result of peoples higher expectations of marriage today
high rates of re-marriage shows peoples continuing commitment to idea of marriage
feminist perspective on divorce
high divorce rate is desirable
shows women as breaking free from oppression of patriarchal nuclear family
new right perspective on divorce
high divorce rate in undesirable
undermines marriage and traditional nuclear family
creates growing underclass of welfare state dependent female lone parents who are burdens to state and leave boys without male role model they need
leads to poorer health and lower educational outcomes
postmodern perspective on divorce
high divorce rate shows individuals now have freedom to choose to end a relationship when it no longer meets their needs
major cause of family diversity