Just Married

Stephen Macedo is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics and the former director of the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. His many books include Liberal Virtues and Diversity and Distrust. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

"[C]losely reasoned, powerful, and persuasive."--Huffington Post "Highly intelligent."--Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution "The book is timely and engaging."--Choice "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 "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 "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 "There is much here I endorse heartily and much I disagree with--vehemently. As a work of public political philosophy, it is sure to engage almost any reader to the same extent, with its wide-ranging, opinionated discussion. This is simply the best book I know articulating the case for the state recognizing same-sex marriage--and stopping reform there."--Elizabeth Brake, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

• Preface and Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Why Marriage Matters 1 PART I. WHY SAME-SEX MARRIAGE? Chapter 1. Gay Rights and the Constitution of Reasons 19 Chapter 2. Traditional Marriage and Public Law 38 Chapter 3. Marriage, Gender Justice, and Children's Well-Being 60 PART II. WHY MARRIAGE? Chapter 4. The Special Status of Marriage 79 Chapter 5. Marriage: Obligations, Benefits, and Access 99 Chapter 6. Reform Proposals and Alternatives to Marriage 119 PART III. WHY TWO? MONOGAMY, POLYGAMY, AND DEMOCRACY Chapter 7. The Challenge of Polygamy 145 Chapter 8. Polygamy, Monogamy, and Marriage Justice 161 Chapter 9. Polygamy Unbound? The Kody Brown Family and the Future of Plural Marriage 179 Conclusion: Happily Ever After 204 Notes 213 Bibliography 267 Index 293