Families and Their Institutional Contexts: the Role of Family Policies and Legal Regulations

This article provides an overview of families and their institutional contexts in Western societies, focusing on the role of family policies and legal regulations in union dynamics, fertility, children’s wellbeing, and intergenerational relations. We argue that family dynamics are driven by changing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie 2019-06, Vol.71 (Suppl 1), p.375-398
Main Authors: Hank, Karsten, Steinbach, Anja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abhandlungen
Cohabitation
Demography
Divorce
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Equality
Family law
Family policy
Family relations
Fertility
Gender equity
Gender inequality
Intergenerational relationships
Legal system
Marriage
Methodology of the Social Sciences
Personal relationships
Personality and Social Psychology
Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Population
Regulation
Social Sciences
Sociology
Welfare state
Well being
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Summary:This article provides an overview of families and their institutional contexts in Western societies, focusing on the role of family policies and legal regulations in union dynamics, fertility, children’s wellbeing, and intergenerational relations. We argue that family dynamics are driven by changing institutional opportunities and constraints, whereas at the same time, welfare state institutions constantly need to adapt to the changing needs of “new” family forms. The empirical studies covered here provide ample evidence of multiple institutional effects on family-related behaviors and outcomes in a variety of domains. Family policy regimes supporting greater gender equality are those under which favorable outcomes are most likely to occur. Importantly, though, specific effects are not always as large, sustainable, or robust as might have been intended or expected beforehand. Methodologically rigorous evaluations of the effectiveness and efficiency of family policy measures and legal regulations thus appear an important task for future research.
ISSN:0023-2653
1861-891X
DOI:10.1007/s11577-019-00603-z