Relationship Issues and Trends

What about romantic love? The society in which we live accepts the concept of ‘romantic love’ as the basis for marriage The society in which we live accepts the concept of ‘romantic love’ as the basis for marriage It underlines the expectation that marriage meets each individual’s ‘need’ to be loved and desired, and the reciprocal need to be exclusively with the one they desire It underlines the expectation that marriage meets each individual’s ‘need’ to be loved and desired, and the reciprocal need to be exclusively with the one they desire In a sense, this clouds the importance of marriage as a social, legal, and religious instiution In a sense, this clouds the importance of marriage as a social, legal, and religious instiution

Do couples actually get that ‘enduring happiness’ that seems to underlie marriage today depends on their abilities to negotiate and maintain their relationship in the circumstances in which they live Do couples actually get that ‘enduring happiness’ that seems to underlie marriage today depends on their abilities to negotiate and maintain their relationship in the circumstances in which they live Relationships that are outside ‘the norms’ of family and society seem to be less stable Relationships that are outside ‘the norms’ of family and society seem to be less stable Marriages between people from different social or cultural backgrounds are also less apt to endure Marriages between people from different social or cultural backgrounds are also less apt to endure

What is Divorce? The legal dissolution of a marriage The legal dissolution of a marriage Sometimes there are just too many ‘underlying’ issues – family pressures, cultural pressures for a couple to deal with Sometimes there are just too many ‘underlying’ issues – family pressures, cultural pressures for a couple to deal with

Breaks in Trust This is one of the most fundamental things that threaten a relationship: This is one of the most fundamental things that threaten a relationship: Violence Violence Extramarital sexual relationships Extramarital sexual relationships

Issues We are going to look at a number of issues in this chapter: We are going to look at a number of issues in this chapter: Intermarriage (or heterogamy) Intermarriage (or heterogamy) Same-sex relationships Same-sex relationships Infidelity Infidelity Spousal Violence Spousal Violence Divorce Divorce

Intermarriage Marriage between partners who are from different social, racial, religious, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds Marriage between partners who are from different social, racial, religious, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds The opposite of homogamy The opposite of homogamy Intermarriage in Canada is more common in urban regions Intermarriage in Canada is more common in urban regions There has been little research on this so far There has been little research on this so far

Because we live in a ‘multicultural’ society, the more likely it is that young people will meet someone from a different background Because we live in a ‘multicultural’ society, the more likely it is that young people will meet someone from a different background Claude Guldner: different customs and rituals are the ‘roots’ of a family Claude Guldner: different customs and rituals are the ‘roots’ of a family When a couple marries, those ‘roots’ need to be negoitated and decisions made When a couple marries, those ‘roots’ need to be negoitated and decisions made

Challenges Interfaith marriages – raising of children Interfaith marriages – raising of children Ethnic backgrounds – gender roles Ethnic backgrounds – gender roles

Homework Read the “Point of View” Does Love Conquer All”? Read the “Point of View” Does Love Conquer All”? Pg and answer the questions on pg 229 Pg and answer the questions on pg 229