Single parenthood in the life course: Family Dynamics and Inequality in the Welfare State

Description

This book analyses theoretically and empirically why some single mothers are less disadvantaged than others. It argues that single parenthood is associated with different risks, depending on the stage in the life course at which it is experienced and on the institutional protection provided at the respective stage of the life course. Preface Contents Contents Contents 1: Introduction 2: Living Conditions of Single Parents 2.1 State of Research 2.2 Heterogeneity of Single Parenthood 3: Definitions 3.1 Definitional Approaches 3.1.1 Subjective Definitions 3.1.2 Legal Definitions 3.1.3 Social and Administrative Definitions 3.1.4 Definitions in Official Statistics 3.2 Single Parenthood in the Life Course 3.2.1 Living Arrangements 3.2.2 Risks 4: Macrostructural Conditions 4.1 Historical and Geographical Contexts 4.2 Single Parenthood in the Welfare State: Classical Approaches 4.3 Life Course and Welfare State 4.3.1 The Fordist Life Cycle 4.3.2 Social Change and Risk Management 4.4 Risk Types 4.5 Empirical Mapping of Single Parenthood as a Living Arrangement in the Welfare State 4.5.1 Methodological Aspects 4.5.2 Data 5: Timing of Single Parenthood and Family Policy 5.1 Parental Leave Reform 5.2 Analytical Approach 5.2.1 Before and After Design 5.2.2 Data 5.2.3 Methods 5.3 Results 5.3.1 Transitions 5.3.2 Marital Status 5.4 Summary and Discussion 6: Single Parenthood and Social Integration 6.1 Social Integration Over the Life Course 6.1.1 Linked Lives 6.1.2 Time and Place 6.2 Analytical Approach 6.2.1 Dependent Variables 6.2.2 Independent Variables 6.3 Results 6.3.1 Frequency of Contact in East and West Germany 6.3.2 Effects of the Transition to Single Parenthood on Contacts 6.3.3 Frequency of Contact by Marital Status of Single Parents 6.4 Summary 7: Discussion 7.1 Demographic Trends 7.2 Data Availability 7.3 Support Potential 7.4 Conclusion and Outlook Appendix References