Changing family patterns in Europe: A case of divergence?

Over the past decades, European countries have witnessed rather uniform trends in basic demographic indicators of fertility and of family formation and dissolution. These trends have been summarized under the label of the second demographic transition, and bear an implication of between-nation convergence. Quite contrary to the ideas of the general public and the expectations of some experts, whatever the degree of convergence that is really there, the effect has not been a trend towards convergence of household and, especially, family patterns. Pluralization of household and family patterns can indeed be observed everywhere, but in each case this pluralization has another face, as it is influenced by cultural and policy differences. This will be demonstrated with the help of a presentation of preliminary results of an international comparative research project in ten European countries that was recently carried out.