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Monday Conference: Redefining marriage: analysing an argument

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Anthropologist Dr Margaret Mead
Monday Conference: Redefining marriage: analysing an argument

SUBJECTS:  History

YEARS:  9–10


Why do people get married?

Around the world, some people marry for love while others marry for social or pragmatic reasons, including economic ones.

In this clip, filmed in 1973, explore the arguments of leading anthropologist Dr Margaret Mead as she challenges many of the ideas about marriage that were current at the time.


Things to think about

  1. 1.What are your views on marriage? Is it still relevant in today's society? What would be the most important reason for you to get married? The issue of marriage is often in the news. What issues have you heard being discussed in relation to it?
  2. 2.What problems does Margaret Mead identify with the 'nuclear family' model of marriage? How has the identity of women changed in modern times? Which of Margaret Mead's points suggest that the romantic notion of 'love and marriage' has rarely been the case throughout history? What alternative model for marriage does Margaret Mead propose? How would it address the problems she identifies?
  3. 3.What do you notice about the structure of Margaret Mead's argument? What gives her argument credibility? What does Margaret Mead's argument suggest about her values? What does she see as important? What's your response: are you convinced marriage should move with the times? This interview was conducted in 1973. Do you think Margaret Mead's predictions for the future of marriage have proved accurate?
  4. 4.Imagine that you have been sent back in time to interview Margaret Mead. What questions would you ask her? What comments would you make about marriage in the 21st century? Would you agree with her views or would you challenge them? Write a script in which you predict her answers to your questions.


Date of broadcast: 4 Jun 1973


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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