Book excerpt: An integrated approach to the historical, cultural, social, and political influences upon marriages and families Exploring Marriages and Families (Subscription), 3/e helps students gain a thorough understanding of the social context in which they live and the relevance of social science to their lives. Author Karen Seccombe captures the compelling relationship and family issues of our time via a fresh perspective – one that places individual relationships in their social context so that students can more fully understand why they make the choices they do. The Third Edition has been updated to reflect the latest data and scholarship and includes new content that reflects the contemporary state of marriages and families to boost relevance to students’ lives.