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The Age of Independence: Interracial Unions, Same-Sex Unions, and the Changing American Family
Michael Rosenfeld offers a new theory of family dynamics to account for the interesting and startling changes in marriage and family composition in the United States in recent years. His argument revolves around the independent life stage that emerged around 1960. This stage is experienced by young adults after they leave their parents' homes but before they settle down to start their own families. During this time, young men and women go away to college, travel abroad, begin careers, and enjoy social independence. This independent life stage has reduced parental control over the dating practices and mate selection of their children and has resulted in a sharp rise in interracial and same-sex unions--unions that were more easily averted by previous generations of parents.
Complementing analysis of newly available census data from the entire twentieth century with in-depth interviews that explore the histories of families and couples, Rosenfeld proposes a conceptual model to explain many social changes that may seem unrelated but that flow from the same underlying logic. He shows, for example, that the more a relationship is transgressive of conventional morality, the more likely it is for the individuals to live away from their family and area of origin.
Complementing analysis of newly available census data from the entire twentieth century with in-depth interviews that explore the histories of families and couples, Rosenfeld proposes a conceptual model to explain many social changes that may seem unrelated but that flow from the same underlying logic. He shows, for example, that the more a relationship is transgressive of conventional morality, the more likely it is for the individuals to live away from their family and area of origin.
- GenresSociology
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 26, 2010
Michael Rosenfeld’s The Age of Independence is refreshing, yet scholarly application of demography. Though demography is often seen as merely a slew of statistics flat on a page, in actuality it is the soul of society spelled out as best we can. So do not fear the potential for academic formulaic boredom; it may be there, but it is adeptly soared over into a realm of accessible, interesting, and relevant information about the changing American family.
Rosenfeld argues that the substantial rise in inter-racial and same-sex families starting in the 1960s stems from what he coins the “independent life stage,” and that these changes have further reverberations throughout almost every level of society. Essentially, Rosenfeld reasons that the other elements (beyond this independent life stage) were all lined-up by the '60s, and that’s why the introduction of the independent life stage in the '60s initiated the rise towards interracial and same-sex unions.
The independent life stage is in essence the life of a single, college–educated, twenty-something: not living at home, exposed to a wider world through leaving home to go off to college and learning about and with people beyond their native communities. Extrapolating the independent life stage from census data is complex because there are no questions directed at assessing it yet. Though this is Rosenfeld’s niche of demographic expertise, there is unfortunately only enough data available to make hypotheses based on general themes.
Nuggets of information, like how more twenty-somethings are not living with their parents in greater numbers than in the past, are the gems that anyone can take away and truly appreciate, regardless of their educational background. The media flurry around this phantom phenomenon is an example of when something is rarer, people take greater note of it.
Rosenfeld aims to provoke sociologists and others to reflect on the independent life stage and its further influence; the book also serves as a call to arms to demographers to push for new questions in the decennial census to evaluate the independent life stage. But this is only the beginning—Rosenfeld sees great change in our collective American future, and we must learn as much as we can to prepare.
Review By Nicole Levitz
Rosenfeld argues that the substantial rise in inter-racial and same-sex families starting in the 1960s stems from what he coins the “independent life stage,” and that these changes have further reverberations throughout almost every level of society. Essentially, Rosenfeld reasons that the other elements (beyond this independent life stage) were all lined-up by the '60s, and that’s why the introduction of the independent life stage in the '60s initiated the rise towards interracial and same-sex unions.
The independent life stage is in essence the life of a single, college–educated, twenty-something: not living at home, exposed to a wider world through leaving home to go off to college and learning about and with people beyond their native communities. Extrapolating the independent life stage from census data is complex because there are no questions directed at assessing it yet. Though this is Rosenfeld’s niche of demographic expertise, there is unfortunately only enough data available to make hypotheses based on general themes.
Nuggets of information, like how more twenty-somethings are not living with their parents in greater numbers than in the past, are the gems that anyone can take away and truly appreciate, regardless of their educational background. The media flurry around this phantom phenomenon is an example of when something is rarer, people take greater note of it.
Rosenfeld aims to provoke sociologists and others to reflect on the independent life stage and its further influence; the book also serves as a call to arms to demographers to push for new questions in the decennial census to evaluate the independent life stage. But this is only the beginning—Rosenfeld sees great change in our collective American future, and we must learn as much as we can to prepare.
Review By Nicole Levitz
March 12, 2021
**Read for my 2021 gender and sexuality comprehensive exams**
Really interesting theories about the rise in acceptance of interracial and same-sex unions over the years/decades in the usa. very much enjoyed the personal stories in this book and the legal history was interesting too.
Really interesting theories about the rise in acceptance of interracial and same-sex unions over the years/decades in the usa. very much enjoyed the personal stories in this book and the legal history was interesting too.
November 12, 2009
Interesting thesis that the changes in familiy structure in the 20th century affected the growth of an independent life stage. young people were then out from under the influence of "family government" and more able to form partnerships that would have been prevented by their parents.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews