The Frontlines of Welfare Reform: Why Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs Succeed or Fail

Posted on August 21, 2016 in Online Symposia

Experts: Jennifer Randles

The Frontlines of Welfare Reform: Why Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs Succeed or Fail A briefing paper prepared for the Council on Contemporary Families by Jennifer Randles, Assistant Professor of Sociology, California State University, Fresno “Marriage is the foundation of a successful society.” “Promotion of responsible fatherhood and motherhood is integral to successful child rearing […]

Stephanie Coontz cited in SCOTUS decision

Posted on October 29, 2015 in CCF News, Members In The News

Experts: Stephanie Coontz

CCF Research Director Stephanie Coontz is cited in the SCOTUS decision legalizing same-sex marriage, June 26, 2015. Check out this related story in the Seattle Times.

Topics of Expertise: History & Trends on Gender, Marriage & Family Life / Marriage & Divorce

Was the War on Poverty a failure? Or are anti-poverty efforts simply swimming against a stronger tide?

Posted on January 6, 2014 in Brief Reports

This month marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of an “unconditional war on poverty.” Yet this month also marks over a quarter century since President Ronald Reagan’s 1988 announcement that the war on poverty was over, and that poverty had won. In this report, University of Maryland sociologist Philip Cohen examines the many early victories, as well as the setbacks in the War on Poverty.

Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Economic Inequality / Marriage & Divorce / TANF & Public Assistance

50th Anniversary of the War on Poverty: Have we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory?

Posted on January 6, 2014 in Online Symposia, Press Releases

This month marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of an “unconditional war on poverty.” Yet this month also marks over a quarter century since President Ronald Reagan’s 1988 announcement that the war on poverty was over, and that poverty had won. To mark the anniversaries of these very different points in the government’s role in poverty reduction, two researchers from the Council on Contemporary Families assess where we have come from and where we stand today.

Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Economic Inequality / Marriage & Divorce / TANF & Public Assistance

New Jersey’s Historic ‘Civil Union’ Opportunity

Posted on October 1, 2011 in Opinion Pieces

The New Jersey Supreme Court has given the state Legislature a historic opportunity, and I don’t mean the chance to allow same-sex couples to marry. The Legislature has the chance to enact civil unions for all couples – same-sex and different-sex. New Zealand does it. So does the Netherlands, under the name “registered partnership.” Maine and the District of Columbia recognize “domestic partnerships” for both straight and gay couples, although both give domestic partners fewer rights than those accorded married couples. Even New Jersey’s current domestic partnership law allows different-sex couples to register – but only if both partners are over 62, presumably a nod to the impact of remarriage on certain pension and retirement benefits.

Topics of Expertise: LGBTQ Partnering & Families / Marriage & Divorce

How Should We Think About the Taxpayer Consequences of Divorce?

Posted on April 15, 2008 in Brief Reports

Experts: Betsey Stevenson / Justin Wolfers

A new report, “The Taxpayer Costs of Divorce and Unwed Childbearing: First-Ever Estimates for the Nation and all 50 States”, raises the question of how much divorce costs taxpayers. This is an intriguing question, but unfortunately this report falls short on providing the answer. In the worst traditions of “advocacy science” the authors pick […]

Topics of Expertise: Couples Conflict, Separation & Divorce / Economic Inequality / Fertility,Reproduction & Sexual Health / Gender & Sexuality / Marriage & Divorce / TANF & Public Assistance

The Steady Rise of Non-Traditional Romantic Unions

Posted on March 8, 2007 in Brief Reports

Experts: Michael Rosenfeld

By Michael J. Rosenfeld Professor of Sociology Stanford University mrosenfe@stanford.edu, 415.205.1892 Prior to 1970, the overwhelming majority of all couples were same-race married couples. Couples who lived together outside of marriage, whether heterosexual or same-sex, were practically invisible. Inter-racial marriages were extremely rare. In fact, until 1967, many states in the US had laws against interracial […]

Topics of Expertise: Biracial/ Multicultural Children and Interracial/ Multicultural Families / Gender & Sexuality / History & Trends on Gender, Marriage & Family Life / LGBTQ Partnering & Families / Marriage & Divorce / Race, Ethnicity & Culture / Singles & Dating

Will Providing Marriage Rights To Same-Sex Couples Undermine Heterosexual Marriage? Evidence From Scandinavia

Posted on May 1, 2004 in Brief Reports

Experts: M. V. Lee Badgett

By M. V. Lee Badgett Professor of Economics University of Massachusetts, Amherst As a way to understand what might happen, some writers have looked to the experience of those Scandinavian countries that pioneered giving a marriage-like status to gay and lesbian couples. Denmark adopted such a law in 1989, Norway in 1993, Sweden in […]

Topics of Expertise: Gender & Sexuality / LGBTQ Partnering & Families / Marriage & Divorce