Options
Family inequality : On the changing educational gradient of family patterns in Western Germany
Hudde, Ansgar; Engelhardt, Henriette (2023): Family inequality : On the changing educational gradient of family patterns in Western Germany, in: Demographic Research, Rostock: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Jg. 48, S. 549–590, doi: 10.4054/demres.2023.48.20.
Faculty/Chair:
By:
... ; Engelhardt, Henriette
Title of the Journal:
Demographic Research
ISSN:
1435-9871
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2023
Volume:
48
Pages:
Language:
English
Abstract:
Objective: A comprehensive and thorough investigation of the key trends in family patterns in Western Germany.
Methods: Descriptive analyses of educational differences in marital status, cohabitation, partnerlessness, and children in the household in Western Germany from 1976 to 2019. We analyze unique data from the German Microcensus with information from more than 1.7 million individuals.
Results: In the 1970s, men with higher education were moderately more likely to live with a partner and be married, and less likely to be divorced. The reverse was mainly the case for women. Over time, higher education levels for men and women became increasingly associated with living with a partner, being married, and living with children; lower levels of education became increasingly associated with divorce, partnerlessness, and single parenthood. Today, men with lower levels of education are least likely to live with a partner, be married, or have children in the household. Women with lower education levels are most likely to be single parents.
Conclusions: Education is turning more and more into a generalized life resource: those with higher education are not only the winners in the labor market but are also increasingly more likely to achieve those partnership and family outcomes to which the majority of young people aspire – a stable partnership and children.
Contribution: This 'big picture' analysis deepens our understanding of changes in family-related social inequalities in Germany. Analyses based on high-quality data have not been available for Germany and can serve as bases for future research at the granular level.
Methods: Descriptive analyses of educational differences in marital status, cohabitation, partnerlessness, and children in the household in Western Germany from 1976 to 2019. We analyze unique data from the German Microcensus with information from more than 1.7 million individuals.
Results: In the 1970s, men with higher education were moderately more likely to live with a partner and be married, and less likely to be divorced. The reverse was mainly the case for women. Over time, higher education levels for men and women became increasingly associated with living with a partner, being married, and living with children; lower levels of education became increasingly associated with divorce, partnerlessness, and single parenthood. Today, men with lower levels of education are least likely to live with a partner, be married, or have children in the household. Women with lower education levels are most likely to be single parents.
Conclusions: Education is turning more and more into a generalized life resource: those with higher education are not only the winners in the labor market but are also increasingly more likely to achieve those partnership and family outcomes to which the majority of young people aspire – a stable partnership and children.
Contribution: This 'big picture' analysis deepens our understanding of changes in family-related social inequalities in Germany. Analyses based on high-quality data have not been available for Germany and can serve as bases for future research at the granular level.
GND Keywords: ; ; ; ; ;
Westdeutschland
Familiengründung
Familienkonstellation
Bildungsniveau
Soziale Ungleichheit
Geschichte 1976-2019
Keywords: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
census data
descriptive analysis
divorce
educational inequality
family
Germany
marriage
partnership
time
trends
DDC Classification:
RVK Classification:
Peer Reviewed:
Yes:
International Distribution:
Yes:
Type:
Article
Activation date:
September 5, 2023
Versioning
Question on publication
Permalink
https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/90347