The Intersection Between Childbearing and Union Status
Projects
Policies on cohabitation and nonmarital childbearing in Europe?
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Members
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Brienna Perelli-Harris, Nora Sánchez Gassen, Olga Isupova |
| General description | Although cohabitation and childbearing within cohabitation has increased dramatically in Europe over the past decades, the variation across Europe remains remarkable. Most studies on changing union formation have not explicitly addressed how state policies may be facilitating cohabitation or, alternatively, stalling the increase of cohabitation by privileging marriage. Indeed, the relationship between policies and union formation is complicated, as states may have passed legislation in response to increasing cohabitation. In order to better understand this reciprocal relationship, we are studying the policies that may impact union formation. Drawing on secondary sources and legal documents, we first describe the policy dimensions that regulate the relationship between couples, and between couples and their children. We also discuss theoretical issues and explore examples from across Europe. Next we will work on systematically describing the policies in a policy database and quantifying to be able to conduct additional analyses. |
| Presentations | Isupova, O. G., B. Perelli-Harris: Cohabitation, legal policies, and cultural systems: divergence across post-Soviet space. European Population Conference, Stockholm, 13-16 June 2012. |