求关于西方婚礼习俗的英语文章!!

求关于西方婚礼习俗的英语文章!!

Journal Article Excerpt "Here comes the Bride": the making of a "modern traditional" wedding in western culture. by Dawn H. Currie Changes in marriage and family dynamics during the past 25 years have given rise to new questions for sociologists of the family. Following legislative changes in the 1960s, the divorce rate in Canada has increased steadily, so that up to one third of marriages today are likely to end in divorce.(1) As indicators of marital instability rose in most western industrialized societies, commentators declared a "crisis in the family" (see Gittins, 1985). However, against trends of family breakdown the vast majority of Canadians continue to marry, and also to remarry after divorce. On this basis some writers claim that marriage and the family are "alive and well," or even "getting better." In support of the latter interpretation, writers note that Canadians continue to value family life: between 1984 and 1986, 86% of women and 83% of men were, or had been, married, supporting Maclean's (1987) poll that 81% of Canadians rate the family as becoming a more important part of their lives (in Nett, 1988: 2). These types of data have been used to advance the claim that marriage remains popular because it is more possible now, than before, for individuals to seek out fulfilling relationships. On the other hand, feminists draw attention to the frequency of violence against wives by husbands and the unequal division of domestic labour which characterizes most heterosexual households. For these writers, the modern nuclear family is interpreted as a central factor in women's continued oppression in the West, and thus as being in need of further dismantling (see Burt, Code and Dorney, 1988; Boulton, 1983; Thorne, 1982; Barrett and McIntosh, 1982). Given the public documentation of trends which underlie this latter claim, and a rising consciousness about gender parity among Canadians, feminists are beginning to ask why the traditional, nuclear family persists. The answer to this question is complex, and thus is the matter of ongoing academic debate. Here, one enduring aspect of traditional family life is explored: the everyday activity of "getting married." While the past few decades have seen growth in alternatives to marriage (see Wilson, 1990), Canadians continue to perceive legal marriage as an indicator of greater commitment, even when they are already living in common-law unions. Baker (1990: 48) notes that the wedding ceremony itself is frequently seen as a "rite of passage" to adult status. Many families save for years and spend considerable sums on wedding clothing and receptions, even though the event itself is short-lived. For those marrying, Church weddings remain important. Although they declined from 91% of marriages in 1972 to 70% in 1982, this figure has levelled off (Nett, 1988: 211).

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