Hello friends! This week we’ve got research on political polarization, cross-class marriages, and the relationship between gender, reproductive decision-making and mental health. We’ve also got some great sociological takes on child support, as well as the decision to give kids an allowance.

There’s Research on That!:

“Cross-Class Marriages and Families,” by Amy August and Caity Curry. It’s almost Valentine’s Day and we’ve rounded up research on marriages between people with different class backgrounds.

“The Political Polarization Phenomenon,” by Allison J. Steinke. It seems like political polarization is everywhere, so we rounded up social science research on how we define political polarization and how much really exists.

Discoveries:

“Gender, Mental Illness, and Reproductive Decision Making,” by Caity Curry. New research in Society and Mental Health finds that mental health professionals use both coercive and non-coercive techniques in facilitating reproductive decisions for their clients diagnosed with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and major depression.

Clippings:

“Focus On The People, Not The Wall,” by De Andre’ T. Beadle. In a recent op-ed for the MinnPost, an interdisciplinary team of expert immigration scholars at the University of Minnesota reflects on administrative changes to the ‘public charge’ rule and its potential consequences.

“Childhood Chores as Community Obligations, Not Monetary Exchanges,” by Jean Marie Maier. The Atlantic talks to Heather Beth Johnson about community, inequality, and giving children allowances.

From Our Partners:

Sociological Images:

“Doing Gender with Backpacks,” Jacqui Frost.

Contexts:

“The Deadbeat Presidency,” by Rodrigo Dominguez-Martinez.

Council on Contemporary Families:

“Who Goes to Jail for Child Support Debt?” Elizabeth Cozzolino.

Social Studies MN:

“Gendered Partisanship in the US House,” by Allison J. Steinke.

And a Few from the Community Pages:

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