Reviewer Janet Moyle. Available Catholic Bookshop, Braddon. The Case for Marriage appears to be a new entry into the market for books on marriage and relationships. In fact it is much more. Written by Linda Waite, a professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, and Maggie Gallagher, the Director of the Marriage Program at the Institute of American Values, the book takes an unequivocal position in favour of traditional marriage.
Married people are happier, healthier and better off financially.
They list five myths of the post-marriage culture. The most dangerous of these, they believe, is the notion that marriage is essentially a private matter between two adults. They believe this reinforces the idea that emotional gratification is the main purpose and benefit of marriage. The M-word has been excised from academic literature and courses in sociology. Lawmakers, judges and policy analysts view special support for marriage as a form of discrimination against the unmarried.