Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social Marginalization and Patterns of Family Formation

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

ES-1103219 Kathleen E. Hull Timothy A. Ortyl University of Minnesota The last several decades have been a period of rapid change in marriage and family structures and practices. Newer models of relationships often differ from marriage in key respects, but relatively little is known about these newer, unconventional kinds of relationships. The research addresses the following research questions: How do people in unconventional relationships describe their vision of these relationships? What meanings do they attribute to their relationship choices? Some theorists have argued that people in unconventional relationships are on the cutting edge of a broader shift from romantic love to a newer form of intimacy that puts greater emphasis on individual autonomy, while others argue that contemporary Americans shift back and forth between differing, contradictory beliefs about intimacy. By examining relationships that represent a clear break with dominant practices, the research can assess whether these unconventional relationship forms represent a trend toward a fundamentally new conception of intimacy, and whether people in these kinds of relationships make use of multiple, competing models to construct and explain their relationships. The project is based on in-depth interviews conducted in a large metro area. Broader Impacts. The study will advance sociological understanding of trends in relationship and family forms. It will achieve broader impacts in several ways. Specifically, the research will increase the visibility and understanding of relationships that have often experienced social marginalization, incorporate key findings into teaching, and disseminate findings to a non-academic audience.