Federal Institute for Population Research

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Concepts of Family in Germany

Content and Objectives

The objective of the BiB’s research into concepts of family is to clarify the ways that such concepts influence people’s desire to have children and their family life. It is driven by the fact that research on fertility trends has not yet been able to explain satisfactorily why the fertility level in Germany remains low.

Our assumptions suggest that family planning is also influenced by preconceived concepts of family, in other words by specific notions about what typically constitutes an ideal family, how big it should be, at what age people should start a family or how responsibilities should be divided up among the family members. The aim of the BiB study is therefore to identify predominant concepts of family in Germany that influence relationships, parent-child relationships and, ultimately, also the desire to have children or the decision to have or not have (more) children.

Data and Methods

Our empirical basis is the German representative panel study Familienleitbilder (FLB) – Concepts of Family in Germany (first wave: 2012; second wave: 2016) of the BiB, complemented by a qualitative study called Family in Pictures and an international comparison with France and Hungary.

Duration

2015–2019

Team

Selected Publications

Dechant, Anna; Rinklake, Annika (2019):

Working and caring: German couples’ realizations of non-normative work-care plans.

In: Grunow, Daniela; Evertsson, Marie (Eds.): New Parents in Europe. Work-Care Practices, Gender Norms and Family Policies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar : 87–107.

Lück, Detlev; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin (2018):

Clear in its core, blurred in the outer contours. Culturally normative conceptions of the family in Germany.

European Societies 20 (5): 715–742.

Lück, Detlev; Diabaté, Sabine; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin (2017):

Cultural Conceptions of Family as Inhibitors of Change in Family Lives: The ‘Leitbild’ Approach.

In: Česnuitytė, Vida; Lück, Detlev; Widmer, Eric D. (Eds.): Family Continuity and Change. Contemporary European Perspectives. London: Palgrave Macmillan: 61–86. [begutachtet]

Schneider, Norbert F.; Diabaté, Sabine; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin (Eds.) (2015):

Familienleitbilder in Deutschland. Kulturelle Vorstellungen zu Partnerschaft, Elternschaft und Familienleben.

Beiträge zur Bevölkerungswissenschaft 48. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Barbara Budrich.

More Publications

Bujard, Martin; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin (2018):

Neue Normalität von Familie? Eine kurze Bestandsaufnahme.

Die Politische Meinung 552: 37–42.

Lück, Detlev; Castrén, Anna-Maija (2018):

Personal understandings and cultural conceptions of family in European societies.

European Societies 20 (5): 699–714.

Diabaté, Sabine; Beringer, Samira (2018):

Simply the Best!? – Kulturelle Einflussfaktoren zum „intensive mothering“ bei Müttern von Kleinkindern in Deutschland.

Zeitschrift für Familienforschung 30 (3): 293–315.

Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (Ed.) (2017):

Familienleitbilder. Alles wie gehabt? Partnerschaft und Elternschaft in Deutschland.

Wiesbaden.

Wolfert, Sabine; Stadler, Manuela; Schneekloth, Ulrich; Diabaté, Sabine; Lück, Detlev; Naderi, Robert; Dorbritz, Jürgen; Schiefer, Kerstin; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin; Bujard, Martin; Schneider, Norbert F. (2017):

Familienleitbilder 2016. Methodenbericht zur 2. Welle.

BiB Daten- und Methodenberichte 1/2017. Wiesbaden: Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung.

Diabaté, Sabine; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin (2016):

Gegen den Mainstream. Leitbilder zu Kinderlosigkeit und Kinderreichtum zur Erklärung der Abweichung von der Zweikindnorm.

Zeitschrift für Familienforschung 28(3): 328–356.

Bujard, Martin; Diabaté, Sabine (2016):

Wie stark nehmen Kinderlosigkeit und späte Geburten zu? Neue demografische Trends und ihre Ursachen.

Der Gynäkologe 49(5): 393–404.

Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (Ed.) (2015):

Familienleitbilder. Muss alles perfekt sein? Leitbilder zur Elternschaft in Deutschland.

Wiesbaden.

Diabaté, Sabine; Lück, Detlev (2014):

Familienleitbilder. Identifikation und Wirkungsweise auf generatives Verhalten.

Zeitschrift für Familienforschung 26(1): 49–69.

Lück, Detlev; Gründler, Sabine; Naderi, Robert; Dorbritz, Jürgen; Schiefer, Katrin; Ruckdeschel, Kerstin; Hiebl, Johannes; Wolfert, Sabine; Stadler, Manuela; Pupeter, Monika (2013):

Familienleitbilder 2012. Methodenbericht zur Studie.

BiB Daten- und Methodenberichte 2/2013. Wiesbaden: Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung.

Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (Ed.) (2013):

Familienleitbilder. Vorstellungen, Meinungen, Erwartungen.

Wiesbaden.

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