Special Collection on cohabitation and marriage in Europe and Australia

CPC Member Dr Brienna Perelli-Harris, along with Professor Laura Bernardi, has edited a Special Collection of articles for the journal Demographic Research. Together, the papers present the findings from an ERC funded collaborative project, led by Dr Perelli-Harris, that endeavoured to better understand cohabitation and marriage in Europe and Australia through a series of standardised focus groups across 9 countries.

Talking about the project, Dr Perelli-Harris Commented "Our approach of using standardised focus groups from the outset of the project is unusual, and allows us to approach the research in a different way." This approach meant that conclusions could be drawn about each individual country as well as direct comparisons being made between them.

Each of the country-specific chapters in the Special Collection focuses on location relevant themes, giving insights into the meanings of partnership formation and reflecting on theory such as 1) lifecourses, sequencing and intersections; 2) individualization, freedom and commitment; and 3) culture, religion and the persistence of the past.

Along with leading the project and editing the collection, Dr Perelli-Harris' work has featured in three of the papers. The first paper compares social norms in Australia and Europe, exploring views around cohabitation. The authors conclude that 'the increase in cohabitation has not devalued the concept of marriage, but has become a way to preserve marriage as an ideal for long-term commitment'.

The second piece of research investigates the meaning of cohabitation in the UK. Working with Professor Ann Berrington, also a CPC member, this work found that couples are finding new ways of showing commitment including cohabitation, joint mortgages and childbearing; with marriage seen as a symbolic event.

The project culminated with a piece that gives an overview of the whole project; as a whole the Special Collection contributes to and challenges current explanations for family change by pointing out how social norms shape partnership behaviour.

The full articles and further details of the project can be found on the Demographic Research website.

Further information about the ERC Project can be found on the project page.

Posted 07/10/2015 09:00