This book addresses fundamental questions about marriage in moral and political philosophy.

What Is Marriage? stands poised to meet its moment as few books of this generation have. If the marriage debate in America is decided in the next few years, it will be either with this book's help, or despite its powerful arguments.

The book is ideal for courses in family studies, couples and family therapy, paralegal studies, and family law classes.

As Mary Shanley shows, Victorian feminists argued that justice for women would not follow from public rights alone, but required a fundamental transformation of the marriage relationship.