Customer Reviews

The Two-Body Problem: Dual-Career-Couple Hiring Practices in Higher Education

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The lack of concern for GLBT couples in higher education research is appalling. This is particularly true for those who do "research" on faculty and staff at our major institutions. This book might be relevant for the 1970's: it will not do for today's higher education landscape. I enjoyed the book as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough.

I want to commend the authors for taking on such an important issue in higher education. The book and each chapter are laid out logically and present useful information for couples in higher education. I do not question what the authors have done in "The Two-Body Problem;" rather, I wonder why little attention is devoted to gay and lesbian couples. A quick scan of the book, readers will not find either parts of or chapters specifically addressing gay and lesbian couples and their issues. Although "same-sex couples" are mentioned in the definition of "academic couples," the authors did not use the words "gay" or "lesbian" anywhere in their discussion, including the index! In my humble judgment, this omission is glaring and subtracts from the book's applicability to higher education in the 21st Century. I understand the authors may equate the issues of all dual couples (heterosexual and gay) similarly. Many are, but several are not. This is where "The Two-Body Problem" falls way short of its goal. These differences deserve more than a simple definition. Given the attention and intensity of debate of gay and lesbian issues on state and national levels in the past few years, I expected the authors to dedicate a good portion of chapters or of the book itself to a thorough discussion of gay and lesbian couples issues. For example, heterosexual, dual-career couples need not worry if their relationship will be recognized by institutions and/or by state/local governments. This is, for many gay and lesbian couples, the determining factor or issue when contemplating a career move for either person, because receiving "couples benefits" is becoming increasingly important as more same-sex couples become parents and raising children.

"The Two-Body Problem" provides helpful and useful information for heterosexual, dual-career couples and a well-grounded foundation for further scholarship on dual-career couples in American colleges and universities, namely gay and lesbian couples. I strongly encourage the authors to revise quickly this edition of their book or begin working on the second edition to complete the scholarly discussion on all dual-career couples in higher education. A thorough discussion of issues specific to same-sex, dual-career couples in higher education is sorely needed.