F1 – Life situations and lifestyle of families

Research Department F1 “Life situations and lifestyles of families” generates fundamental knowledge relating to the socio-structural life situation and everyday lives of families. Key factors here are the inequality dimensions of gender, ethnicity and class. By dovetailing quantitative and qualitative analyses, it is possible to gain insights into how families live at both the macro and the micro level.

Families are regarded as producers of individually and socially relevant benefits for children and adults such as care, education, skills and health. Although these are passed on through exclusive personal relationships, they benefit society and society requires them to be provided on a private basis. Since the first phase, quantitative operationalization of the qualitative research concept of family living has been key to the analysis of the AID:A survey in the department. Incorporating the lifetime development perspective, an examination is carried out of the critical points of change in people's lives (e.g. divorce, redundancy, family life after separation and divorce).

Applying the theoretical notion of ‘doing family’ and the family as a productive force, analyses are carried out as to how families deal with these kinds of upheaval and strain. Flexibility of time and spatial mobility are currently very important in establishing a family. Studies are carried out into the resources required by families and look at which life situations are especially challenging to them.