ABSTRACT
The role of cohabitation in family formation has recently emerged as an interest of social scientists and policymakers alike. Rising divorce rates have drawn attention to the shift in family forms, and increased rates of cohabitation have been cited as one possible indication of the “breakdown” of the traditional family (e.g., Bumpass, Sweet, & Cherlin, 1991; Glenn, 1996; Popenoe, 1988). The chapters in this volume, however, indicate that cohabiting unions are neither new nor necessarily negative in terms of their influence on the well-being of individuals and families involved. Each chapter in this volume addresses a particular aspect of cohabitation and the role that this type of union plays within the larger society; however some common themes emerge throughout.
