Social institutions that have been around for thousands of years generally change slowly, when they change at all. But that's not the way things have been playing out with marriage and family since the middle of the 20th Century. Some scholars argue that in the past five decades, the basic architecture of these age-old institutions has changed as…

Discusses revival of ideas on the family experienced in France after World War II. Describes increase in fertility, marriage, and divorce rates since that time, and the reversal of these trends beginning in 1965. The state attitude concerning families and family policy is traced from the end of World War II to the present. (NB)

Discusses recent developments in the family in West Germany. Examines family demographics; provides an overview of the main institutional forces, laws, and family policy; and refers to the organizational aspects of demography. Describes trend in Germany of shrinking household size and increasing share of one-person households. Describes statistics…

Describes the changing role of women in East Germany since World War II and the impact on family life. Discusses trends in marriages, divorces, birth rates, and employment. Sees new socialist family as not so different from new Western family, being shaped by labor force participation of men and women, alternative lifestyles, and a slow advance of…

Presents an account of some important developments that concern the family in Sweden since the beginning of the 1960s. Interprets data from the Swedish fertility survey conducted by Statistics Sweden in 1981 and official statistics for later years. Contends that the young nonmarital cohabitation that has emerged should be seen as a phenomenon…

Notes that significant changes have occurred in recent times to the structure and dynamics of family life in Britain. Examines trends and issues related to marriage, cohabitation, fertility, extramarital births, divorce, one-parent families, remarriage and stepfamilies, children in families, employment, and the future of social policy in Britain.…

Discusses the tradition of the Italian family and changes in family life since World War II. Examines socioeconomic differentiation and family forms; family structure and kinship networks; social policies and family solidarity; stability and family dissolution; and innovative processes in family life. Concludes that there is a profound change in…

This report identifies significant trends and forces affecting Canada's families and the changes they are undergoing. Following an introductory section, which discusses what families are and what they do, the report consists of 14 tables and 82 charts of family-related information accompanied by written explanations of the numbers and trends.…

This report provides an overview of the numbers, characteristics, and economic situation of lone-parent families in the European Community. The report aims to take at least a first step toward providing information that would enable policy-makers to address the problems faced by single-parent families. The report concludes that women's…

Noting that Canadians have witnessed profound demographic, economic, social, cultural, and technological changes over the last century and the need for sound demographic information for future planning, this report is the second to identify significant trends affecting Canada's families. Following an introductory section providing relevant…

This report is the second based on data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) providing a portrait of the well-being of children and their daily activities. The report highlights a variety of indicators that portray children's experiences at home and at school, and includes findings about parents' feelings toward their…

This report presents findings on the well-being of American children from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a longitudinal study conducted at 4 month intervals by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data were collected in fall 1994 and include a variety of indicators to portray children's experiences while growing up, such as differences…