Divorce

1. Changing patterns of divorce

There has been an increase in the number of divorces in the

UK.
The number of divorces has doubled between 1961 and 1969
and doubled again by 1972. The upward trend continued,
peaking 1993 at 180,000.
Numbers have fallen but still stood at 157,000 in 2001 about
six times higher than in 1961. This rate means 40% of all
marriages will end in divorce.
About seven out of ten petitions for divorce come from women
in the past only 37% cam from women.
50% of the couples had a least one child under 16
Median of the marriage was 11.5 years.
28% of men divorcing and 20% of woman had been divorced
before.

2. Types of martial breakdown

Divorce: the legal termination of a marriage

Separation: the physical separation of a marriage so that the
spouses live apart.
Empty-shell marriages: Husbands and wife continue to live
together and remain legally married, but their relationship has
broken down.

3. Explanations for the increase in divorce

Changes in law Many laws have been introduced to make it

easier to divorce. For example, women are now able to
petition for divorce
Declining stigma and changing attitudes: The negative label,
social disapproval or shame has declined with marriage, it is
now common for people to be divorced. In the old days, it was
frowned upon to get divorced, especially religious people.
Nowadays there is no shame in the matter. Juliet Mitchell and
Jack Goody say that there has been an important change since
the 1960s rapid decline in stigma attached to divorce.
Secularisation: This refers to the decline in the influence of
religion in society. Many sociologists argue that religious
institutions are losing their influences on people and society is
becoming more secular. For example less people are going to
church.
Rising expectations in marriage: Ronald Fletcher says that
people place higher expectations on marriage and this is
causing the high divorce rates. This is linked to the ideology of

love, that there is a Mr&Mrs Right. However, in the old times

people had to get married for economic reasons so didnt have
much expectations therefore the marriages then, lasted a lot
longer than they do now.
Changes in the position of women: Womens economic
positions have made them less economically dependent on
their husband and therefore freer to end an unhappy
marriage. Women are more likely to be in paid work. Girls
greater success in education now helps them achieve betterpaid jobs than previous generations. Allan and Crow said that
marriage is less embedded within the economic system
now. Arlie Hoschchild argues many women now work at home,
at work they feel valued and at home mens continuing
resistance to doing housework is a source of frustration and
makes marriage less stable.
4. The meaning of high divorce rates

The New Right - see high divorce rate as undesirable because

it undermines the traditional nuclear family. Creates an
underclass of welfare dependent female lone parents and
leaves boys without and adult male role model.
Feminists they see high divorce rates as desirable, it shows
women are breaking away from the patriarchal nuclear
society.
Postmodernists see HDR (high divorce rates) as giving
people the freedom to choose to end a relationship when it no
longer meets their needs. A cause to family diversity.
Functionalists does not prove marriage as a social institution
is under threat. Result of peoples higher expectations. High
rate of remarriage shows peoples continuing commitment to
the idea of marriage.
Interactionalists: aim to understand what divorce is for the
individual. David Morgan says that we cannot generalize about
the meaning of divorce because every individuals
interpretation of it is different.