The Closing of the American Heart

Marriage and fertility rates are cratering, hitting lows never seen before in America’s history. This means that a record share of today’s young adults will never marry and never have children. But the paradox is that marriage and family life matter more than ever in the 21st century. Men, women, and children in married families are much more likely to thrive socially, emotionally, and financially than their peers who don’t enjoy the safety and stability of a married family. Professor Brad Wilcox of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia will reveal what’s happening to marriage and family life, why these two institutions are losing ground, and what can be done to revive their fortunes in 21st-century America.

Dinner will be served.

About the speakers

Brad Wilcox is a professor of sociology and the director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, a senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Lyman Stone is senior fellow and director of the Pronatalism Initiative at the Institute for Family Studies

photo: Nighthawks by Edward Hopper