Understanding Families Over Time: Research and Policy (Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life)

Drawing on research from the Timescapes Study, this volume discusses the life chances and experiences of children and young people, parents and older generations. A unique qualitative longitudinal study forms the basis for the chapter contributions, delivering policy-relevant findings to address individual and family lives over time. "Cover"--"Series" -- "Series" -- "Title" -- "Copyright" -- "Contents" -- "List of Tables" -- "Series Editorsâ#x80;#x99; Preface" -- "Notes on Contributors" -- "1 Introduction to Timescapes: Changing Relationships and Identities Over the Life Course" -- "Part I: Relationships and Life Chances of Children and Young People" -- "2 Generations and Aspirations: Young Peopleâ#x80;#x99;s Thinking About Relationships With Siblings and Hopes for Their Parents Over Time" -- "3 Growing Up in Northern Ireland" -- "Part II: Parenting and Family Life" -- "4 Young Parenthood and Cross-Generational Relationships: The Perspectives of Young Fathers" -- "5 Investing in Involvement: Men Moving Through Fatherhood" -- "6 Expectations and Realities: Motherhood and the Female â#x80;#x98;Choiceâ#x80;#x99; Biography" -- "7 Responsibility, Work and Family Life: Childrenâ#x80;#x99;s and Parentsâ#x80;#x99; Experiences of Working Parenthood" -- "8 Gender and Workâ#x80;#x93;Family Conflict: A Secondary Analysis of Timescapes Data" -- "Part III: Older Lives and Times" -- "9 Vulnerability, Intergenerational Exchange and the Conscience of Generations" -- "10 Grandparenting Across the Life Course" -- "11 Conclusions." Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction to Timescapes: Changing Relationships and Identities Over the Life Course....Pages 1-28 Front Matter....Pages 29-29 Generations and Aspirations: Young People’s Thinking About Relationships With Siblings and Hopes for Their Parents Over Time....Pages 31-47 Growing Up in Northern Ireland....Pages 48-65 Front Matter....Pages 67-67 Young Parenthood and Cross-Generational Relationships: The Perspectives of Young Fathers....Pages 69-87 Investing in Involvement: Men Moving Through Fatherhood....Pages 88-105 Expectations and Realities: Motherhood and the Female ‘Choice’ Biography....Pages 106-123 Responsibility, Work and Family Life: Children’s and Parents’ Experiences of Working Parenthood....Pages 124-141 Gender and Work-Family Conflict: A Secondary Analysis of Timescapes Data....Pages 142-158 Front Matter....Pages 159-159 Vulnerability, Intergenerational Exchange and the Conscience of Generations....Pages 161-175 Grandparenting Across the Life Course....Pages 176-193 Conclusions....Pages 194-202 Back Matter....Pages 203-205 Based on a large-scale qualitative longitudinal study of the life course conducted in the UK (Timescapes Study), this unique collection reveals close-up--and in their own words--the experiences of children and young people, parents, and older generations. The participants' lives and times are explored through multiple accounts of their changing trajectories. Collectively, the contributions examine family and generational relationships in all their complexity as they change and develop. Tackling a diverse group of people from varied backgrounds and geographical locations, each individual chapter is concerned with particular stages of the life course, delivering policy-relevant findings to address individual and family lives over time. "Understanding Families Over Time" also has a methodological twist: change and continuity through biographical, historical and generational time are integral aspects of the overall study. Based on a large-scale qualitative longitudinal study of the life course conducted in the UK (Timescapes Study), this unique collection reveals close-up 6 and in their own words 6 the experiences of children and young people, parents, and older generations. The participants lives and times are explored through multiple accounts of their changing trajectories. Collectively, the contributions examine family and generational relationships in all their complexity as they change and develop. Tackling a diverse group of people from varied backgrounds and geographical locations, each individual chapter is concerned with particular stages of the life course, delivering policy-relevant findings to address individual and family lives over time. "Understanding Families Over Time" also has a methodological twist: change and continuity through biographical, historical and generational time are integral aspects of the overall study