Red Families v. Blue Families: Legal Polarization and the Creation of Culture

(Oxford)

The authors, family-law scholars, examine differences in family structure and sexual values in Republican and Democratic strongholds that influence political allegiances. Among their findings: “red” states have higher divorce and teen-pregnancy rates, and their residents start families earlier; couples in “blue” states tend to experiment more with multiple partners, have higher incomes, and marry later after attaining more emotional and financial maturity. Cahn is a professor at George Washington University Law School. Carbone is a professor at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.