Poverty, Religion, and the New Marriage Debate

This session will engage a fascinating, timely emerging conversation about poverty, family structure, shifting norms for boys and men, and possible opportunities for cultural and policy-oriented reform. In a time of deep polarization, are certain approaches better than others when it comes to exploring the benefits of marriage for children? How does marriage compare with cohabitation, and how do we avoid getting caught in culture war cul du sacs when discussing gender roles, marriage norms, and solutions that can benefit low-income families? What about shifts in religious affiliation: will a rising generation of American children lose out as a result of our decline in religious membership by 22 points over the last two decades? And finally, how will social media affect parenting patterns at home—and corresponding implications both at school and in the labor market?

Video Highlights