This volume investigates the cross-national social and economic consequences of the global rise in divorce rates and the subsequent liberalization of family law. Editors Lenore Weitzman and Mavis Maclean compile research from twenty-six contributors to analyze how shifting legal frameworks impact the financial stability of families. The text utilizes comparative international data to evaluate the societal effects of these legislative changes and proposes policy adjustments based on empirical findings.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational comparative study for scholars of socio-legal research and family economics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous, data-driven approach employed by the contributors to address complex policy questions.