Governments and Marriage Education Policy Perspectives from the UK, US and Australia

by van Acker, Elizabeth

• ISBN13: 9780230003378
• ISBN10: 0230003370
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-08-15
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This book examines the role governments play in managing policy challenges such as religion, romance, gender relations, same-sex marriages and privacy protection in response to social changes in marriage. Elizabeth van Acker asks whether governments can or should intervene in this personal sphere.

Author Biography

ELIZABETH VAN ACKER is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and Public Policy, Griffith University, Australia. She has taught in a range of areas including Australian politics and politics and the media.In addition to marriage and relationship education, her research interests include feminist politics, and industry policies. She is the co-editor of Globalising Government Business Relations.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	p. viii
Preface	p. x
Introduction: Government and Marriage: Strange Bedfellows?	p. 1
Changing Perceptions of Marriage
The Problem of Marriage	p. 15
Tensions within Marriage: Public Institution or Private Choice?	p. 33
Marriage Education in Three Liberal Democracies
The UK - Governments Supporting Children	p. 63
Australia - Government Shifts in Supporting Marriage and Relationship Education	p. 93
The US - Governments Promoting 'Healthy' Marriage	p. 120
Challenges for Governments
Individualism and the Private Sphere	p. 159
Managing the Public Policy Process	p. 183
Conclusions: Reinventing Marriage?	p. 207
Notes	p. 213
Bibliography	p. 219
Index	p. 239
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