Reading List for Divorce Presentation
1. Stanley, Scott M., Markman, Howard J., Peters, Michelle St., Leber, B. Douglas (Oct 1995). Strengthening Marriages and Preventing Divorce: New Directions in Prevention Research. Family Relations, Vol. 44, No. 4, Helping Contemporary Families pp. 392-401. http://www.fcs.utah.edu/~fan/fcs5400-6400/studentpresentation2009/04DivorceReadingStanley.pdf
2. Forste, Renata, Heaton, Tim B.(2004). The Divorce Generation: Well-Being, Family Attitudes, and Socioeconomic Consequences of Marital Disruption. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, Vol. 41(1/2). http://www.fcs.utah.edu/~fan/fcs5400-6400/studentpresentation2009/04DivorceReadingForste.pdf
3. Borenstein, Severin, Courant, Paul N (Dec 1989) How to Carve a Medical Degree: Human Capital Assets in Divorce Settlements. The American Economic Review, Vol. 79, No 5, pp. 992-1009. http://www.fcs.utah.edu/~fan/fcs5400-6400/studentpresentation2009/04DivorceReadingBorenstein.pdf
Additional Readings
1. Vlosky, Denese Ashbaugh, Monroe, Pamela A. (Oct. 2002) The Effective Dates of No-Fault Divorce Laws in the 50 States. Family Relations, Vol. 51, No. 4, Families and the Law. http://www.fcs.utah.edu/~fan/fcs5400-6400/studentpresentation2009/04DivorceReadingVinsky.pdf
2. Woody, Robert Henley. A Review of “Divorce: Causes and Consequences”. http://www.fcs.utah.edu/~fan/fcs5400-6400/studentpresentation2009/04DivorceReadingClarke-Stewart.pdf
The history of the policy and a description of the policy and/or alternative proposals
Divorce statistics:
Divorce rates throughout different time-periods
Amount of government involvement throughout time-periods
Intended purpose of policy
Obtain a level of fairness to each party (avoid the most $ wins)
Ensure well-being of each party (and children if involved)
Encourage re-marriage to avoid increasing welfare costs to the government
Identification of economic concepts related to this policy
Ensure equality of each spouse
Divorce is expensive
Often one spouse or both fall into poverty after divorce
Reasons as to why this policy would achieve its purpose
Divorce guidelines attempt to ensure a form of equality
Encouragement of remarriage may help to avoid the spouses falling into poverty
Possible side effects of the policy and interest-group conflicts
Economic well-being of each spouse for low-income households
Human capitalism
Emotional upset of spouse
Encouraging remarriage may also encourage remarriage in unhealthy or abusive marriages
Possible ways to evaluate the policy
Subjective well-being of each spouse following divorce
Divorce rates vs. Poverty/Welfare assistance
Remarriage rates
A summary assessment as to whether the policy serves its purpose
Divorce is increasingly facing more and more families every day. The guidelines have been put into place to attempt to ensure some form of equality of each spouse and the well-being of each, however this is not always the case. Many spouses suffer from divorce and are forced into poverty and welfare and suffer significant emotional, mental, and physical damage. Whether or not the government should play an active role in divorce up for debate.