Intergenerational Relationships in Europe

This project scrutinizes intergenerational transfers within the SHARE Europe framework, focusing on the interplay between family and welfare state. Thus, for example, it examines correlations between state support and gender differences in the provision of familial assistance to older parents. Here, the SHARE-based findings show that across Europe daughters render only somewhat more sporadic, but very much more intensive help to parents than sons do. At the same time, the legal obligation to provide such familial care and cash-for-care schemes are associated with a much greater probability of daughterly caregiving, whereas this does not apply to sons. Social services, by contrast, promote gender equality in the familial aid supplied by adult children. Welfare state structures thus clearly impact gender (in)equality with regard to family care and assistance. Results of this project have recently been published in the Journal of Marriage and Family (2013, joint with Christian Deindl), European Societies (2013), European Journal of Ageing (2012, joint with Tina Schmid and Klaus Haberkern), and Ageing & Society (2011, joint with Christian Deindl). Collaborative ties exist with the Zurich Research Group Labour, Generation, Stratification (AGES), led by Marc Szydlik and with Christian Deindl and Karsten Hank (both University of Cologne).