Kristopher Havlik
Word Count: 567
This article titled, "Trends in Marital Happiness by Gender and Race, 1973 to 2006," explains the differences and the qualities of how and why marriages face the troubles of divorce and separation. The authors explain that there has been a growing trend of divorce in the United States. Many couples that have been surveyed have said that they are unsatisfied with their marriage; whether it be because of financial trouble, general unhappiness, or because of romantic issues. The authors include in their article, that white males are often more satisfied than black males with their marriages, and that women are often times less satisfied with their marriages than men as a whole. One topic that the authors include is of the power struggle in the family, particularly financial power. They said that if both husband and wife are receiving equal pay, meaning that they have equal power, then there is likely to be a greater amount of happiness in their marriage. Another factor in the growing trend of divorce can be contributed to the discrimination of black men in the workforce. The authors explain that black men who are not as successful as their wives expect them to be, are often times seen as not fulfilling the masculine role in the family, leading to dissatisfaction of their wives. What the authors are basically saying is that one of the leading factors in the dissatisfaction in marriages in the United States is the economic struggle that men face in society. The dependent variable of the study was simply marital happiness. The independent variables in the study included race, gender, if the respondent was divorced, employed, as well as the number of individuals living in the household. Throughout the study, the authors indicate that the highest rates of marital happiness are of white husbands, and the lowest rates of marital happiness are of black wives.
The authors of the article titled, "Social Boundaries and Marital Assimilation: Interpreting Trends in Racial and Ethnic Intermarriage," explain that the rate of ethnic and interracial marriages throughout the United States is on the rise; and there are several contributing factors. Some of these factors include assimilation, cohabitation, and the education of the individuals who are being married. With each of these factors being considered, the rate of racial and ethnic intermarriage is increasing and becoming less taboo in American society. A topic that is repeatedly brought up throughout out the article is the influx of minority citizens who are immigrating to the United States. Because of the huge number of minority citizens immigrating, it is difficult to keep track of current statistics of interracial marriages. Nevertheless, because of this factor, there is a gaining trend in the prominence of intermarriage in the United States. The second factor that was mentioned was cohabitation. Many immigrants are finding themselves in relationships and living with citizens in the United States, making it difficult to keep track of the relationship rate of interracial couples. Another factor that the authors include is of educational obtainment. Minority citizens who come to the United States, and receive an education, will sometimes find themselves being in a relationship with a white individual. This is one of the factors that lead to an intermarriage in our society. The last contributing factor that the authors include is that of the receding social boundary of the American society. It is more likely than in the past, that a couple, who is of different race and ethnicity, will get married in our society.
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