Is marriage losing its centrality in Italy?

Alessandro Rosina; Romina Fraboni

Volume 11 - Article 6 | Pages 149–172

Is marriage losing its centrality in Italy?

By Alessandro Rosina, Romina Fraboni

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Date received:	09 Jun 2004
Date published:	14 Sep 2004
Word count:	4508
Keywords:	cohabitation, Italy, strong family ties
DOI:	10.4054/DemRes.2004.11.6

Abstract

Unlike the countries of north-western Europe, marriage in Italy has maintained a crucial role in the process of family formation. This raise doubts about the possibility that the theory of "second demographic transition" could adequately account for the behaviour of the European population living south of the Alps.
The aim of this paper is twofold: to provide some empirical evidence that cohabitation is now spreading in Italy; and to propose an explanation of the delay of its diffusion until the 1990s. The hypothesis proposed here explains the delay, not so much in terms of limited interest of the Italian youth towards this type of union, but with the convenience of the children in the Mediterranean area to avoid choices which are openly clashing with the values of parents.

Author's Affiliation

Alessandro Rosina - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy [Email]
Romina Fraboni - Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT), Italy [Email]