The political construction of family: Mapping the connections between constituents, government, advocacy, and family policy regarding same-sex marriage

The issue of marriage for same-sex couples has swept the United States as a family policy issue. At the time of the writing of this dissertation, 26 states explicitly define marriage as one man and one woman in their Constitutions, including Wisconsin as of November 7th, 2006. This study, informed by the field of institutional ethnography, builds upon the recent work of scholars on how policy affects the lived experience of families, in general, and same-sex unions and LGBT families, in particular. This project provides a unique contribution to the literature by simultaneously studying the policy arena and the lived-experience of constituents in regard to marriage and family.;To explore this family policy terrain, this emergent, multi-method study included focus groups, content analysis, interviews with government representatives and leaders of advocacy groups, and a family impact analysis of the Amendment.;The findings lend support to Smith's (1993) concept of the Standard North American Family Code. Despite key differences regarding beliefs about homosexuality, those for and against the Amendment share common ground in regard to the importance of marriage, the nuclear family, and specific childrearing roles. This study also unveiled themes around the ways same-sex marriage policy is intertwined with opposite-sex marriage policy and widespread beliefs about the need for government involvement and oversight. This study's family impact analysis details how the Amendment may impact a range of family forms within the context of the Wisconsin political environment.;This study has several implications. For example, when advocating for same-sex marriage, the study revealed several external factors that may have influenced the campaigns of interest groups for and against the Amendment, such as the influence of the state Governor's race, national politics, and media coverage of scandals regarding homosexuality. The study also brought to light several challenges related to promoting marriage as an individual right when marriage is increasingly perceived as a category of social privilege. Finally, this study raises questions regarding the necessity, or lack thereof, of interest groups representing their constituents' true interests and beliefs, as opposed to seeking a position that sways the uncommitted "swing voter."...