A report examined the consequences for the European Union of global social trends. It identified relevant trends that included: a new global middle class; population growth and ageing; employment and the labour market; and migration. It said many trends were uncertain and would be influenced by external factors. It outlined how the analysis could inform the ongoing work of the European Union.
Source: Stijn Hoorens, Jeremy Ghez, Benoit Guerin, Daniel Schweppenstedde, Tess Hellgren, Veronika Horvath, Marlon Graf, Barbara Janta, Sam Drabble, and Svitlana Kobzar, Europe s Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU, RAND Corporation
Links: Report | Summary | Rand press release
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined whether gender equality mattered for fertility in European countries. It said that gender equality needed to be conceptualized in a way that allowed for a distinction between gender difference and gender inequality. There was no uniform effect of gender equality on childbearing intentions.
Source: Gerda Neyer, Trude Lappegard, and Daniele Vignoli, 'Gender equality and fertility: which equality matters?', European Journal of Population, Volume 29 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Aug
An article reported a study in Italy and the United Kingdom that found no support for the idea that cohabitation (as opposed to marriage) weakened inter-generational ties. No differences in parent-adult child contact between cohabiting and married individuals were found in the United Kingdom, and only to a very limited extent in Italy.
Source: Tiziana Nazio and Chiara Saraceno, 'Does cohabitation lead to weaker intergenerational bonds than marriage? A comparison between Italy and the United Kingdom', European Sociological Review, Volume 29 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
An article examined the rise of non-marital fertility across Europe since 1960.
Source: Sebastian Klusener, Brienna Perelli-Harris, and Nora Sanchez Gassen, 'Spatial aspects of the rise of nonmarital fertility across Europe since 1960: the role of states and regions in shaping patterns of change', European Journal of Population, Volume 29 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
An article examined the drivers behind attitudes to demographic behaviour in Europe (such as postponement of childbearing, cohabitation replacing marriage, and increased divorce). There were large differences across countries, and economic development was a strong predictor for modern attitudes. However, attitudes towards demographic behaviour correlated with many other country-specific characteristics, some challenging popular wisdom in the demography literature.
Source: Arnstein Aassve, Maria Sironi, and Vittorio Bassi, 'Explaining attitudes towards demographic behaviour', European Sociological Review, Volume 29 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Mar
A new book provided an evidence-based assessment of the impact of migration and labour force participation on population and labour markets dynamics in Europe, and a comparative analysis of possible population developments in 27 European countries.
Source: Marek Kupiszewski (ed.), International Migration and the Future of Populations and Labour in Europe, Springer
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Feb
An article examined why large parts of Europe had apparently decided to commit 'demographic suicide' through low fertility rates.
Source: Lant Pritchett and Martina Viarengo, 'Why demographic suicide? The puzzles of European fertility', Population and Development Review, Volume 38 Issue Supplement S1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
A new book examined patterns of residential mobility of minorities in Europe.
Source: Nissa Finney and Gemma Catney (eds), Minority Internal Migration in Europe, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Jan
