When this book was originally published in 1980, sociologists had long held the view that the middle-class marriage in contemporary Britain was characterised by role desegregation and marital equality. Middle-Class Couples reported on research which provided a critical re-analysis of this orthodoxy.

1. Introduction 2. The Sociology of Conjugal Roles and the Problem of Marital Equality 3. Social Theory and the Sexual Division of Labour 4. The Household Division of Labour 5. Conjugal Power and Authority 6. The Leisure Patterns of Professional Workers and Their Wives 7. The Work and Domestic Work Experiences of Husbands and Wives 8. Concluding Discussion. Appendix 1: Research Methods Appendix 2: Interview Schedules and Questionnaire Appendix 3: Main Characteristics of the Sample Appendix 4: The Occupational Status Scale Used in this Study.

Stephen Edgell is Research Professor of Sociology at the University of Salford, UK.