Just Married

The case for marriage equality and monogamy in a democratic society

The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage lead to more radical marriage reform? Should it? Antonin Scalia and many others on the right warn of a slippery slope from same-sex marriage toward polygamy, adult incest, and the dissolution of marriage as we know it. Equally, many academics, activists, and intellectuals on the left contend that there is no place for monogamous marriage as a special status defined by law. Just Married demonstrates that both sides are wrong: the same principles of democratic justice that demand marriage equality for same-sex couples also lend support to monogamous marriage.

Stephen Macedo displays the groundlessness of arguments against same-sex marriage and defends marriage as a public institution against those who would eliminate its special status or supplant it with private arrangements. Arguing that monogamy reflects and cultivates our most basic democratic values, Macedo opposes the legal recognition of polygamy, but agrees with progressives that public policies should do more to support nontraditional caring and caregiving relationships. Throughout, Macedo explores the meaning of contemporary marriage and the reasons for its fragility and its enduring significance. His defense of reformed marriage against slippery slope alarmists on the right, and radical critics of marriage on the left, vindicates the justice and common sense of the emerging consensus.

Casting new light on today's debates over the future of marriage, Just Married lays the groundwork for a stronger institution.

"Macedo offers a well-researched, wide-ranging argument for the special role of marriage in democratic society and the ability of same-sex: marriage to fit within this accepted role. . . . Just Married . . . deserves praise for challenging us to deliberate more diligently the promises and pitfalls of civil marriage."---Scott Barclay, Perspectives on Politics

"This well-argued book will serve a wide audience. Anyone interested in getting into the marriage debates would do well to start with Just Married and can expect to gain a full understanding of the landscape. Macedo makes a strong argument for inclusion of same-sex marriages into the legal institution of marriage, and a strong case for retaining the legal institution."---Lori Watson, Review of Politics

"Just Married provides a deep understanding of what it is I'm signing off on when I scribble my name on those county-issued marriage licenses."---Katherine Willis Pershey, Christian Century

"The book is timely and engaging."

"Highly intelligent."---Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution

"[C]losely reasoned, powerful, and persuasive."

"Just Married, by Stephen Macedo, is public philosophy the way it should be done. Taking on the tangled, emotionally charged issue of the institution of marriage, his new book is smart, open-minded, alert to complexity, aware of relevant empirical evidence, and well written. In our polarized public life, this invitation to reasoned deliberation about important controversies is rare and precious."—Robert D. Putnam, author of Bowling Alone and Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis

"An ambitious work by a thoughtful scholar, Just Married brings an important and distinctive voice to the academic debate and public conversation about marriage."—Linda McClain, Boston University School of Law

"This book argues, both critically and constructively, that liberal democratic principles, properly understood, require the extension of marriage to same-sex couples. Just Married embodies the typical strengths of Macedo's writing—a compelling thesis, clarity, and openness to actual experience."—William A. Galston, Brookings Institution