Abstract
Over the last few hundred years, marriage and family life have undergone major changes. Globally, there have been declines in the rates of marriage, increasing age at marriage, and increasing rates of divorce. These changes have led some to argue that the family practices of the West are permeating non-Western, less wealthy countries and therefore country differences in marriage and family practice are declining. In this chapter, we investigate cross-national differences in the rhythm, timing, and practice of marriage, examining crude marriage rates, age at marriage, same-sex marriage, and divorce. We conclude that while marriage is an evolving institution, these changes do not necessarily suggest a convergence of marriage practices. Rather, new family systems are emerging that are contributing to a greater diversification of family life worldwide.
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