Katharina Herlofson
Gunhild Hagestad

http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol25/10/

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2011.25.10

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Abstract

Assumptions are often made about how population ageing on the macro level has altered generational structures of families at the micro level. The purpose of this paper is to increase the awareness of challenges and potential pitfalls in bridging the two levels. To highlight these issues, two common claims found in the literature are questioned and discussed: that increased life expectancy leads to more multigenerational family structures and that reduced fertility means fewer children to care for frail parents. To illustrate, we use population statistics and survey data from selected countries.

Author's affiliation
Katharina Herlofson
NOVA - Norwegian Social Research, Norway
Gunhild Hagestad
NOVA - Norwegian Social Research, Norway

Keywords
family structure, gender, generation, micro and macro approaches, multigenerational family structures, population aging

Word count (Main text)
8914

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