EUGENE, Ore. -- (Aug. 6, 2012) -- With the debate over same-sex marriage in full swing on today’s political radar, a new book by University of Oregon political science professor Priscilla Yamin, “American Marriage: A Political Institution” will be released on Aug.14. The book outlines matrimony’s historical and contemporary role as an institution that grants and withholds rights.

In preparing for the book, Yamin examined legal and political documents, such as court cases and congressional reports, analyzing them through a historical lens and comparing across time. Her goal, she said, was to explore uncharted political territory, revealing the importance of marriage and family in understanding American politics.

“There are not enough books in political science that examine the ways that marriage and family are political,” said Yamin.  “Marriage and family is usually understood as having to do only with private and personal issues.”

Ex-slaves post emancipation, people of color, women in the 1960s, immigrants, homosexuals and people collecting welfare are among the communities and issues that Yamin discusses in the book as being influenced by the institution of marriage.

“American Marriage” (224 pages, University of Pennsylvania Press) emphasizes that the same-sex marriage debate is not the first political issue that makes marriage a platform for determining individuals’ status and identity as an American citizen or resident.

“The important question is whether marriage is the right place to decide and determine rights at all,” said Yamin.  “There are over 1,000 federal benefits attached to marriage.”

After six years of work and continually changing and developing research, the public will have a book that addresses these issues. “American Marriage” will be available in hardcover and as an electronic book.

Anne Norton, professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, called the book “an exemplary work in a neglected field.”

About the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.

MEDIA CONTACT:Julie Brown, UO media relations, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

SOURCE:Priscilla Yamin, UO political science professor,541-346-4879,pyamin@uoregon.edu

Note: The University of Oregon is equipped with an on-campus television studio with satellite uplink capacity, and a radio studio with an ISDN phone line for broadcast-quality radio interviews.

News release written by Dillon Pilorget, UO Office of Communications intern

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