Wednesday, October 2, 2019 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM EDT
Carow Hall
Come join the Center for Study of Public Choice for lunch, a presentation, and a discussion at Public Choice Seminar Series featuring:
Gary Lee, Bowling Green State University, on:
The Limits of Marriage: Why We Can’t Solve All Our Problems By Getting Everyone Married
Light Lunch: 11:45
Seminar: 12:00 noon - 1:15 PM
Wednesday, October 2nd
Carow Hall
Despite the well-documented benefits of getting married, an increasing number of Americans have opted out of the institution. In fact, for nearly five decades the U.S. marriage rate has declined. So why are younger generations saying no to marriage? Some point to cultural changes, while others show how values have shifted. Gary Lee takes a different perspective. He argues that marriage eliminates the flexibility to adapt to unpredictable economic changes. In his view, the marriage decline is a symptom of increasing economic insecurity.
Gary Lee is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Bowling Green State University. Dr. Lee's research interests center on the effects of family and other transitions on the experiences and states of mind of older persons. His current work focuses on widowhood, particularly gender differences in the psychological consequences of spousal bereavement. He has published academic articles in the Journal of Marriage and Family, Journal of Family Issues, and Journal of Comparative Family Studies (among others). Dr. Lee received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1973.
