Speaker: Clare Chambers (Cambridge) Title: 'Against Marriage'

Abstract:

This talk will outline the arguments in Clare's recent book 'Against Marriage: An Egalitarian Defence of the Marriage-Free State'. The book is a radical argument for the abolition of state-recognised marriage. Clare will argue that state-recognised marriage violates both equality and liberty, even when expanded to include same-sex couples. Instead, she proposes the marriage-free state: an egalitarian state in which religious or secular marriages are permitted but have no legal status.

The talk will focus on the case against marriage. Feminists have long argued that marriage is a violation of equality since it is both sexist and heterosexist. Clare endorses the feminist view and argues, in contrast to recent egalitarian pro-marriage movements, that same-sex marriage is not enough to make marriage equal. She will then argue that state-recognised marriage is also problematic for liberalism, particularly political liberalism, since it imposes a controversial, hierarchical conception of the family that excludes many adults and children. Clare's talk will end with an outline of the alternative model of regulation that she proposes: the marriage-free state. In the marriage-free state, regulation is based on relationship practices not relationship status, and these practices are regulated separately rather than as a bundle. The marriage-free state thus employs piecemeal, practice-based regulation.