The sociological concept I have chosen in the institution of marriage. Marriage is a legally sanctioned relationship, usually involving economic cooperation as well as normative sexual activity and childbearing that people expect to be enduring. The first characteristic of marriage is that it is a legally sanctioned relationship. In other words, marriage is a formal relationship that is recognized and bound by law. In western societies, marriages are begun with weddings as a means to …showed first 75 words of 719 total…

…showed last 75 words of 719 total…of the popular literature about maintaining life-long marriages. Today, permanence and commitment in marriage are seen as fading values in a changing world. The rising divorce rate is cited as the death knell of the institution of marriage. The stability of a society is often determined by the stability of its marriages. Marriage is one of society's central institutions and it is essential for the preservation of stable family life; now and for future generations.