Gender and Couple Relationships

This provocative volume is comprised of psychological, socioeconomic, and cultural perspectives on couple dynamics, particularly gender dynamics, and the future of marriage. Featuring data on married, cohabitating, male/female, and same-sex couples, the authors of the book's chapters analyze the changing impacts of work, parenting, and the health benefits of marriage for men and women. Trajectories in the evolution toward gender equality provide the backdrop for discussions of women and men as partners, parents, and workers in contemporary society. Contributors also keep a sharp focus on the complexities of gender issues as they intersect with crucial contexts of cohort, class, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Among the topics covered:

• Gender equality and economic inequality: impacts on marriage.
• Expansionist theory expanded: integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on gender, work, and family change.
• Gender, work, and family: action in the interactions.
• Changes in U.S. mothers' and fathers' time use: causes and consequences.
• A case for gay fathers.
• Gender, marriage, and health for same-sex and different-sex couples

Gender and Couple Relationships documents social roles and social change with fascinating insight to advance research in fields of psychology, sociology, demography and economics and to the benefit of work organizations, policy makers, family and couple therapists and other mental health professionals.

Susan McHale, Ph.D., is Director of the Social Science Research Institute and The Children, Youth, and Family Consortium and Distinguished Professor of Human Development at The Pennsylvania State University.

Valarie King, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology, Demography, and Human Development & Family Studies at The Pennsylvania State University, and is the Director of the Family Demography Training Program at the Population Research Institute. She currently serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Marriage and Family and Journal of Family Issues.

Jennifer Van Hook, PhD., is Professor of Sociology and Demography and Director of the Population Research Institute at The Pennsylvania State University.

Alan Booth, Ph.D., is Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Demography, and Human Development & Family Studies at The Pennsylvania State University. He has been a senior scientist in Penn State's Population Research Institute since 1991. Dr. Booth has co-organized the university's National Symposium of Family Issues since its inception in 1993.