All Research
Article
The Awfulness of Elite Hypocrisy on Marriage
…face penalties as high as almost one-third of their total household income. Policy makers in Congress could tackle penalties in means-tested programs such as Medicaid and public housing by doubling the income…
Article
Don’t Buy the Soulmate Myth
…shows and books, from the latest offerings on the Hallmark Channel to Elizabeth Gilbert’s mega-bestseller, “Eat, Pray, Love.” This model is based on the idea of finding a “soulmate”—that special…
Op-Ed
We Can Make Chicago Safer By Prioritizing Stronger Families
…changes have made it easier to commit crimes here in the Chicago area. To that end, policymakers must also focus on strengthening neighborhood institutions, improving school outcomes and bolstering the…
Op-Ed
How to make smartphones and apps safer for kids
…the Institute for Family Studies has heard from lawmakers around the country that they aim to follow suit in 2024. Utah’s legislative boldness has kicked off a revolution in how…
Article
Red States Can Lead the Way on Marriage and Fatherhood
…policy-makers, even those on the left, that dads make a difference. The most prominent example is Brookings Institution fellow Richard Reeves, who acknowledges in his 2022 book Of Boys and Men that…
Op-Ed
For kids, marriage still matters
…not been good — for children, for families, or for the United States.” But for policymakers in Utah, what are the practical implications of this truth? That is, what can…
Article
Male Malaise Is Not Just About ‘the Culture’
You are familiar with the litany of ills blighting our society: declining rates of work and marriage; rising rates of obesity and loneliness; soaring deaths of despair. All of these trends…
Op-Ed
What liberals don’t understand about men and marriage
…She is a former senior researcher at Pew Research Center and received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Maryland. Elizabeth Self is outreach coordinator at the Institute for Family Studies….
Article
The Two-Parent Advantage
…than are less-advantaged Americans. The scholars, journalists, and policymakers who drive so much of our family discourse and policies today ought to notice this new family science and bring it…
Op-Ed
Tracking ‘two-parent privilege’ in Utah
…the state. Yet despite the fact that robust families are a big reason why the Beehive State flourishes on so many fronts, many state agencies reporting data to decision-makers fail to…
Op-Ed
The Best Predictor of Happiness in America? Marriage
…would be to eliminate marriage penalties that keep too many parents from exchanging vows. The blame lies at the federal level, where policymakers have established tax and safety-net benefits over…
Op-Ed
House Republican Plan Penalizes Marriage
…is a family-friendly contingent among congressional Republicans in the Senate, led by figures such as Sens. Marco Rubio, Marsha Blackburn, Mitt Romney, Mike Lee, and J.D. Vance. These lawmakers recognize…