Families in Converging Europe: A Comparison of Forms, Structures and Ideals (Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life)

Families in Converging Europe examines common familial trends and differences between Northern and Southern and Eastern and Western Europe from 1960s to early 2000s and discusses the most common theoretical explanations for convergence and divergence. The interest lies in macro-level social changes and in the interrelationship between the family and other social institutions. In-depth comparison of Finnish and Spanish cases as representatives of North and South Europe provides an example of how macro-level changes affect both family ideology and practices. The Traditional Concept Of A Family Is No Longer The Norm In Modern-day Europe. Fertility Rates Are Declining, Alternative Family Forms Are Becoming Common Place And People Are Choosing To Remain Single For Longer. In This Book, Eriikka Oinonen Examines Common Familial Trends And Differences Throughout Europe Since The 1960s And Discusses The Most Common Theoretical Explanations For Convergence And Divergence. Analysing The Demographic, Socio-economic And Cultural Differences And Similarities At The Eu Level, And As A Comparison Between Spain And Finland, This Book Considers How International Structures Such As The Eu And The Oecd Affect Europeans' Family-related Choices And The Ideal Of The Family.--jacket. The Changing European Family -- Family Patterns : Convergence Or Divergence -- Explaining Family Changes -- Towards The Case Studies -- Premises For Studying Finnish And Spanish Families -- The Making Of Modern Finland And Spain -- On Family Ideology -- Family Values And Attitudes -- On Family Practices -- Family In Finland And Spain : The Focal Findings -- Integration Of European Societies And Family Patterns -- The European Family : Made In The Oecd? Eriikka Oinonen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 186-206) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction: Families in Converging Europe....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Family Patterns — Convergence or Divergence....Pages 11-28 Explaining Family Changes....Pages 29-57 Front Matter....Pages 59-59 Premises for Studying Finnish and Spanish Families....Pages 61-75 The Making of Modern Finland and Spain....Pages 76-86 Front Matter....Pages 87-87 On Family Ideology....Pages 89-116 Family Values and Attitudes....Pages 117-125 On Family Practices....Pages 126-151 Family in Finland and Spain: The Focal Findings....Pages 152-160 Front Matter....Pages 161-161 Integration of European Societies and Family Patterns....Pages 163-173 The European Family — Made in the OECD?....Pages 174-185 Back Matter....Pages 186-212 The traditional concept of a family is no longer the norm in modern-day Europe. Fertility rates are declining, alternative family forms are becoming common place, and people are chosing to remain single for longer. In this book, Eriikka Oinonen examines common familial trends and differences throughout Europe since the 1960s and discusses the most common theoretical explanations for convergence and divergence. Analysing the demographic, socio-economic and cultural differences and similarities at the EU level, and as a comparison between Spain and Finland, this book considers how international structures such as the EU and OECD affect Europeans' family-related choices and the ideal of the family.--Résumé de l'éditeur This book examines common familial trends and differences throughout Europe from the 1960s onwards and discusses the most common theoretical explanations for convergence and divergence. Eriikka Oinonen reveals how structural factors such as the labour market, the welfare state and the EU affect Europeans' family related choices. This volume examines common familial trends and differences throughout Europe from the 1960s onwards and discusses the most common theoretical explanations for convergence and divergence