The End of Marriage? : Individualism and Intimate Relations

The modern day sees fewer marriages than before, and cohabitation is a major driver of family change. Jane Lewis questions whether this is - as many commentators argue and fear - a sign of ever-increasing individualism. "The End of Marriage?" argues that the order in which sex, marriage, cohabitation and childbirth occur can no longer be assumed, nor can the pattern of contributions that men and women make to the household. Indeed, maintains Jane Lewis, there is something of a vacuum which is being filled in part by an increase in negotiation at the household level. This questions the idea that individualism is necessarily selfish, which in turn raises issues regarding the regulation of the family, an increasingly delicate task for policymakers.