Marriage in the 20th century: A feminist perspective.
A defining feature of the 20th century in Western civilization was a profound change in the roles women play in both private and public life. The field of couple therapy was influenced by that change and, to a limited extent, participated in it. I will argue that the field has avoided fully embracing the principles of feminism that generated the social changes in gender and marital roles, settling instead for a more token acknowledgment that gender means something, without wanting to specify what that something is. In responding to the other articles in this issue, I make the case that the connection between gender and power in marriage needs to be more fully integrated, in the theory, research, and treatment of couples.
Family Institute at Northwestern University, 618 Library Place, Evanson, IL 60201, USA. c-rampage@northwestern.edu
Cheryl
C
Rampage
D019546:Couples Therapy; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012922:Social Change; D019366:Western World