Does marriage matter?

There is a growing consensus among scholars that marriage is important. Far more than a private emotional relationship, it is also a social good and provides the surest foundation for strong and healthy families. Communities where healthy marriages are common have better outcomes for children, women and men than communities suffering from high rates of divorce, unmarried childbearing and high-conflict or violent marriages. In ‘Does Marriage Matter?’ Rebecca O’Neill summarises a large body of research for all those who are interested in marriage and the family.