Out-of-Wedlock Births: The United States in Comparative Perspective

by Mark Abrahamson

Overview

Abrahamson focuses on the dramatic increase in out-of-wedlock births that occurred in the United States during the last half of the 20th century. He provides the most current demographic data, and summarizes the findings in a nontechnical manner made more meaningful by references to the lives of actual people.

He also includes detailed case studies of how out-of-wedlock births increased in rural Essex, England around 1600, in Madrid, Spain around 1800, and in Jamaica in the mid-20th century. A theoretical overview summarizes the patterns exhibited in the case studies and in the contemporary United States. He concludes with an examination of the role of welfare in the United States and the prospects for current welfare reform efforts to succeed in decreasing out-of-wedlock births. This survey will be of interest to scholars, students of sociology, anthropology, and social work, and readers interested in current social issues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275956653
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	07/17/1998
Series:	Economic History; 196
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.39(d)
Lexile:	1460L (what's this?)

About the Author

MARK ABRAHAMSON is Professor of Sociology at the University of Connecticut. For more than 20 years, he has combined scholarly and administrative activities at the university—having served as Department Head, Dean, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affaris. He is the author of a dozen books and more than 30 articles, and is also a former Program Director at the National Science Foundation.

Table of Contents

Preface
Background and the Contemporary U.S.
Marriage and Parenthood
U.S. Data and Rates
Nonmarital Births: Who, How and When
Comparative Case Studies
County of Essex, England: 1590-1625
Madrid, 1760-1800
Jamaica, 1950-1985
Some Conclusions about the U.S.
A Theoretical Overview
Welfare
Suggestions for Further Reading
Index