 Cover | |
| Author | Elyakim Kislev |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Marriage, the family, sociology of women, gender inequality |
| Genre | Nonfiction |
| Publisher | University of California Press |
Publication date | February, 2019 |
| Pages | 280 |
| ISBN | 9780520299146 |
| Website | Book website |
Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living is a book by Israeli author and scholar Elyakim Kislev. It was published in 2019 by the University of California Press. [1]
The book explores the fulfilling lives of unmarried individuals, showcasing their resilience and innovative approaches to building communities and networks. Through personal interviews and research, Kislev challenges societal norms favoring marriage and highlights the benefits of solo living for both singles and couples. The book encourages readers to reconsider traditional social structures and calls for inclusive policies that cater to the diverse needs of unmarried individuals. [1]
Van Den Berg praised the book for offering a fresh perspective in family sociology by challenging the cultural disapproval of singlehood. She commended Kislev for providing detailed insights into the lives of singles through a wide array of sources, including interviews, blog posts, and quantitative analyses. Van Den Berg appreciated the book's exploration of discrimination against singles and strategies for coping with it, especially highlighting the significance of friendships, independence, and job satisfaction for single individuals' happiness. She also acknowledged Kislev's timely contribution in addressing the overlooked experiences of singles and lauds his suggestions for societal and academic changes to better accommodate singlehood. [2]
Diaz and Lee commended the book for its timely exploration of the benefits and challenges of solo living in the face of shifting societal norms. They praised Kislev's adept use of quantitative and qualitative data to delve into the experiences of singles, highlighting previously under-explored areas such as discrimination and social support. The reviewers lauded Kislev's nuanced approach to challenging assumptions about marriage and loneliness, particularly his findings on the strengths and social networks of older singles. They also noted his balanced presentation of marriage's social and emotional benefits alongside emerging literature suggesting its downsides. [3]
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws. It is nearly a cultural universal, but the definition of marriage varies between cultures and religions, and over time. Marriage becomes a social construct to adjudicate the conflicts of interest between consenting individuals and a transactional means to fulfill their needs. Typically, it is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually sexual, are acknowledged or sanctioned. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or considered to be compulsory before pursuing sexual activity. A marriage ceremony is called a wedding, while a private marriage is sometimes called an elopement.
Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not married, usually couples, live together. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become increasingly common in Western countries since the late 20th century, being led by changing social views, especially regarding marriage, gender roles and religion.
Social capital is "the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively". It involves the effective functioning of social groups through interpersonal relationships, a shared sense of identity, a shared understanding, shared norms, shared values, trust, cooperation, and reciprocity. Some have described it as a form of capital that produces public goods for a common purpose, although this does not align with how it has been measured.
Premarital sex is sexual activity which is practiced by people before they are married. Premarital sex is considered a sin by a number of religions and also considered a moral issue which is taboo in many cultures. Since the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s, it has become accepted by certain liberal movements, especially in Western countries. A 2014 Pew study on global morality found that premarital sex was considered particularly unacceptable in "Muslim Majority Countries", such as Malaysia, Jordan and Pakistan, each having over 90% disapproval, while people in Western European countries were the most accepting, with Spain, Germany, and France expressing less than 10% disapproval.
A parasite single is a single person who lives with their parents beyond their late 20s or early 30s to enjoy a more carefree and comfortable life. In Japanese culture, the term is especially used when negatively describing young unmarried women.
In legal definitions for interpersonal status, a single person refers to a individual who is not in committed relationships, or is not part of a civil union. In common usage, the term single is often used to refer to someone who is not involved in either any type of sexual relationship, romantic relationship, including long-term dating, engagement, marriage, or someone who is "single by choice". Single people may participate in dating and other activities to find a short-term partner or spouse.
Remarriage is a marriage that takes place after a previous marital union has ended, as through divorce or widowhood. Some individuals are more likely to remarry than others; the likelihood can differ based on previous relationship status, level of interest in establishing a new romantic relationship, gender, culture, and age among other factors. Those who choose not to remarry may prefer alternative arrangements like cohabitation or living apart together. Remarriage also provides mental and physical health benefits. However, although remarried individuals tend to have better health than individuals who do not repartner, they still generally have worse health than individuals who have remained continuously married. Remarriage is addressed differently in various religions and denominations of those religions. Someone who repeatedly remarries is referred to as a serial wedder.
Laws governing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are complex in Asia, and acceptance of LGBT persons is generally low. Same-sex sexual activity is outlawed in at least twenty Asian countries. In Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen homosexual activity is punishable by death. In addition, LGBT people also face extrajudicial executions from non-state actors such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. While egalitarian relationships have become more frequent in recent years, they remain rare.
Criticisms of marriage are arguments against the practical or moral value of the institution of matrimony or particular forms of matrimony. These have included the effects that marriage has on individual liberty, equality between the sexes, the relation between marriage and violence, philosophical questions about how much control can a government have over its population, the amount of control a person has over another, the financial risk when measured against the divorce rate, and questioning of the necessity to have a relationship sanctioned by government or religious authorities.
The history of the family is a branch of social history that concerns the sociocultural evolution of kinship groups from prehistoric to modern times. The family has a universal and basic role in all societies. Research on the history of the family crosses disciplines and cultures, aiming to understand the structure and function of the family from many viewpoints. For example, sociological, ecological or economical perspectives are used to view the interrelationships between the individual, their relatives, and the historical time. The study of family history has shown that family systems are flexible, culturally diverse and adaptive to ecological and economical conditions.
In the United States, the traditional family structure is considered a family support system involving two married individuals providing care and stability for their biological offspring. However, this two-parent, heterosexual, nuclear family has become less prevalent, and nontraditional family forms have become more common. The family is created at birth and establishes ties across generations. Those generations, the extended family of aunts and uncles, grandparents, and cousins, can hold significant emotional and economic roles for the nuclear family.
Life satisfaction is an evaluation of a person's quality of life. It is assessed in terms of mood, relationship satisfaction, achieved goals, self-concepts, and self-perceived ability to cope with their life. Life satisfaction involves a favorable attitude towards one's life—rather than an assessment of current feelings. Life satisfaction has been measured in relation to economic standing, degree of education, experiences, residence, and other factors.
Herbivore men or grass-eater men is a term used in Japan to describe young men who become a voluntarily celibate and express little interest in getting married or being assertive in pursuing relationships with women. The term was coined by the author Maki Fukasawa, who initially intended for it to describe a new form of masculinity that was not reliant on the proactivity and assertiveness typically associated with masculinity in Japan. Philosopher Masahiro Morioka defines herbivore men as "kind and gentle men who, without being bound by manliness, do not pursue romantic relationships voraciously and have no aptitude for being hurt or hurting others." According to Fukasawa, herbivore men are "not without romantic relationships, but have a non-assertive, indifferent attitude toward desires of flesh."
Rainbow capitalism is the involvement of capitalism, corporatism, and consumerism in appropriating and profiting from the LGBT movement. It developed in the 20th and 21st centuries as the LGBT community became more accepted in society and developed sufficient purchasing power, known as pink money. Early rainbow capitalism was limited to gay bars and gay bathhouses, though it expanded to most industries by the early-21st century.
Lalita Iyer is an Indian author, journalist, and columnist based in Mumbai, India. She has written several books, including I'm Pregnant, Not Terminally Ill, You Idiot!, The Whole Shebang: Sticky Bits of Being a Woman, and Sridevi: Queen of Hearts. She has also written children's literature and is the author of the blogs Chickwit and Mommygolightly.
Body positivity is a social movement that promotes a positive view of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities. Proponents focus on the appreciation of the functionality and health of the human body, instead of its physiological appearance.
Toxic positivity, also known as excessive positivity or positive toxicity, is dysfunctional emotional management without the full acknowledgment of negative emotions, particularly anger and sadness. Socially, it is the act of dismissing another person's negative emotions by suggesting a positive emotion instead.
Madonna Harrington Meyer is an American sociologist, author, and academic. She is a University Professor at Syracuse University, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence, and Professor of Sociology at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She is a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Policy Research, Faculty Research Affiliate at the Lerner Center, and Faculty Affiliate at the Aging Studies Institute of Syracuse University.
Spaces of Hope is a book by British Marxist geographer David W. Harvey. It was published in 2000 by the Edinburgh University Press.
Elyakim Kislev is an Israeli sociologist, author, and academic. As of 2024, Kislev is Head of the Honors Program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's School of Public Policy and Governance. He is known for his work on the state of relationships, the impact of technology on social life, and singlehood in the twenty first century. Kislev is the author of Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living, Relationships 5.0.
