Not even sociologists are able to agree on a single meaning. What is marriage? Different people define it in different ways. The relationship between marriage and family is an interesting topic of study to sociologists. While the two institutions have historically been closely linked in Canadian culture, their connection is becoming more complex. Marriage and family are key structures in most societies. What do you think constitutes a family? (Photo (a) courtesy Gareth Williams/flickr photo (b) courtesy Guillaume Paumier/ Wikimedia Commons) The modern concept of family is far more encompassing than in past decades. What Is Marriage? What Is a Family? Figure 14.2. Nevertheless, although the percentage of traditional married couples has declined as a proportion of all families, at 67 percent of all families, it is still by far the predominant family structure. With fewer couples marrying, the traditional Canadian family structure is becoming less common. Some may never choose to wed (Jayson 2008). Cohabitating, but unwed, couples account for 16.7 percent of all families in Canada. Statistics Canada (2012) reports that the number of unmarried, common-law couples grew by 35 percent between 20 to make up a total of 16.7 percent of all families in Canada. Christina and James’s friends told them, married or not married, they would still be a family.Ĭhristina and James’s scenario may be complicated, but it is representative of the lives of many young couples today, particularly those in urban areas (Useem 2007). Christina’s mom believes that the couple should do whatever they want but adds that it would “be nice” if they wed. Despite having been divorced and having a live-in boyfriend of 15 years, she believes that children are better off when their parents are married. When they shared these concerns with their parents, James’s mom was adamant that the couple should get married. Christina likes the idea of her children growing up in a traditional family, while James is concerned about possible marital problems down the road and negative consequences for the children should that occur. Recently, Christina and James have been thinking about having children and the subject of marriage has resurfaced. James remained close with his father who remarried and had a baby with his new wife. He lived with his mother for a few years, and then later with his mother and her boyfriend until he left for college. James grew up in a two-parent household until age seven, when his parents divorced. Christina and her mother lived with her maternal grandmother, who often served as a surrogate parent.
Her parents never married, and her father has had little contact with the family since she was a toddler. Neither Christina nor James had seen much success with marriage while growing up. Wasn’t it only a piece of paper? And didn’t half of all marriages end in divorce? The couple had many discussions about marriage and decided that it just did not seem necessary. While Christina and James were confident in their decision to enter into a commitment like a 20-year mortgage, they are unsure if they want to enter into marriage. For the past two years, they have been living together in a condo they purchased jointly.