Divorce &

Remarriage Rebecca Lopez

Pasadena Community College, 2017
 Intro to Divorce & Remarriage
Divorce is defined as a legal conclusion to a marriage as done by the court or to other legal body.
Remarriage on the other hand is simply a marriage that occurs after one has taken place.

The first documented divorce in America took place in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the year
1645. The reason for divorce was due to Anne Clarkes unfaithful husband who spent most of
his time with another women. However, divorce has existed for over 100 years by the time that
Clarkes divorce has taken place. One might recall the divorce between Henry VIII and
Catherine of Aragon, who could not provide an heir to the throne. This divorce serves as one of
the most well known divorces in history but is not the first.
Over the past few decades there has been an increase in the percentage of adults who remarried.
The percentage has rose from 13% to 23% from 1960 to 2013. This could be connected to the
increasing numbers of divorce and widowhood in the United States. Though it is not always
happen, those who get a divorce are able to remarry.
 Religious Viewpoints on Divorce
Divorce is already a tough experience to go through. It makes it harder for some people if their religion
frowns upon getting a divorce. Meanwhile, some people find support through their religion because they
recognize their divorce and consider it valid.
Catholicism Religious Society of Judaism
Hinduism
Friends
The church believes Throughout the
that marriage should Hindus allow for a
be everlasting. This religious end to a Quakers choose to Jewish community
is until marriage to hold meetings every there are varying
circumstances transpire. For some month to decide if opinions about
ultimately require a someone is divorced divorce. The
conservatives it is
divorce. However, if can have a religious majority recognize
a person was not hard to believe that a
widow or women ceremony if they divorce;
married in a church
the first time they looking to remarry. want to remarry. nonetheless, there
can remarry in a exist no real opinion
church. on remarriage.
 Reasons People Get a Divorce
There are number of different reasons why couples might choose to get a divorce.
These are some of the noted reasons:

Loss of independence
Financial issues
Infidelity
Emotional or physical abuse
Lack of communication
Addiction
Changes in sexual interests
Different goals
Stress from family/ in-laws
 Impact of Divorce on Children
One of the main concern of parents during a divorce is their children. They want to make
sure that their child transitions without any difficulty and that the changes do not cause any
emotional trauma. Divorce can take a toll on children in a number of ways and it varies
depending on age and sometimes even gender. The following is a number of ways in which
divorce can affect the children involved.

Academic challenges - Behavioral problems can contribute to lower grades.

Illness- They usually suffer from illness more and their recovery tends to be
slower.
Relationships- The emotional stress can cause a strain on the relationship
between parents and child as well as future relationships the child may have.
Financial Strain- It may take sometime for a child to adjust to living to just one
income.
Things to Think About Before Remarriage
Before getting into another relationship, yet alone marriage there are some things that
need to be considered and discussed between a person and their partner. These questions
may change if children are involved. Regardless, there has to be some discussion to
make the change easier for everyone. Here are some topics that should be considered.

Location - Where do we plan to live? A new house or one of our

residences?
FInances- How will we share our money?
Living Arrangements- If a person has a child do they have full custody or
joint custody? What days or holidays will be spent where? What are the
household rules? How will chores be allocated?
Stepparents- What role is the stepparents expected to play?
 New Relationships Be sure that a set
of family rules is
After a divorce some individuals find themselves in a put in place to
new relationship and decide to get remarried. When this ensure respect.
happens their child/children also are building new
relationships with their stepparents. Blended family is a term
used to describe a family that is made up of a couple as well Verbal affection is
as children from previous relationships as well as children preferred over hugs
their children. Some stepparents hope to create a strong or kisses.
relationship with their stepchildren, but the difficulty of
doing so usually increases with age. Furthermore, research
indicates that those between the age of ten and fourteen have Try to build a
the most difficult time getting use to their stepfamily. These friend relationship
are some things stepparents should keep in mind. before trying to
discipline.
Trends of Divorce and Remarriage (U.S)
Remarriage numbers tend to grow as people get older.
From those ages of 55 to 64 67% of them had remarried compared to
only 29% of people from 18 to 24.
Men are more likely than women to remarry.
White people are more likely to remarry; meanwhile Asians are least
likely to remarry.
The Hispanic population comes in second behind whites, and black
Americans come in third.
There is a difference in the percentage of adults who have remarried
between those born in the U.S. and those who immigrated.
Approximately 26% of adults born in the U.S. have remarried and 14% of
adults born outside the U.S. remarried.
Trends of Divorce and Remarriage (U.S)
Divorce rate were at their highest around the 1970s and 1980s and has
actually decreased despite certain myths.
The rate of divorce for both men and women decrease as the education
level of individuals increases.
Asian-Americans have the smallest divorce rates, while Native
Americans tend to have the highest.
Black Americans have the second highest divorce rates and are
followed by white Americans and then Hispanics.
Trends of Divorce and Remarriage
(U.S)
 Functionalists Paradigm
From a functionalist perspective, divorce is viewed as contributing to the overall
stability of the society. Without divorce there would be a disruption to jobs such as
divorce lawyers and others who are involved in the process. For example, a person
getting a divorce might be looking into new properties so they hire a real estate agent or
parents hire a therapists to help their children cope with the new changes that are yet to
come. The reasons for divorce could be explained from a functionalist perspective by
the value in which a couple places on marriage nowadays. For some the expectation
may be too high to the point that they are disappointed when they get married.
Meanwhile, others do not place such a high value on marriage. When it comes to
remarriage, it can be seen in a similar way to divorce. People getting married, even for
the second or third time, can cause more stability and provide jobs for others.
 Conflict Theory Paradigm
When looking at divorce from a conflict theory paradigm, the reason for divorce
can be traced to power struggles within the relationship. A woman might find her
husband being overbearing and expecting her to take care of the traditional woman
duties. She may bring it up to her husband and they argue so much and tensions only
increase further. For this reason, divorce is seen as fixing the inequality that exists
within their marriage from a conflict theory perspective. Remarriage, therefore, may
not be seen as a celebrated stepping stone. This is because of the power struggle that
exists between couples.
 Recap
Overall both perspectives look at divorce as something positive and for those in the
relationship. There are also varying opinions from religion and whether or not they
consider a divorce valid. People who decide to get a divorce can do so for a number of
reasons. The children involved in a divorce can be affected whether that be academically
or emotionally. At times when new families are created through remarriage and it takes
time to adjust. Stepparents are expected to take their time before taking on a more active
role. Remarriage is perceived as positive from a functionalist view; however, negative
when viewed from a conflict theory perspective.
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