For Better or For Worse? Understanding the Revolution in Married Life in Australia (2009-2014)

There has been a revolution in the social organisation of marriage. Internationally we have witnessed dramatic changes in the rate of marriage, the route to marriage and the timing of marriage. This project investigates what is happening to marriage in Australia and whether it provides the same benefits and outcomes it once did. Are married people happier and more satisfied than others, do these patterns vary across social groups and are they affected by differing pathways to marriage? The results will improve our understanding of how different life choices shape wellbeing, and the implications of marital transformation for social, political and economic structures that have traditionally relied on marriage as a basic organizing principle.