GenFam examines how demographic behaviour, gender relations, and family structures are evolving in Switzerland and across Europe. The project focuses on three closely connected societal developments: the diversification of family forms, persistent inequalities in the division of paid and unpaid work, and sustained low and postponed fertility. Switzerland provides an important case for studying these dynamics because social change in family behaviour has occurred alongside a comparatively limited expansion of family policies and strong reliance on private arrangements for organising care and employment, as well as structural constraints such as the high cost and limited availability of childcare and the federal organisation of policy-making.
The project is embedded in a coordinated research programme comprising multiple work packages and sub-projects and is guided by three overarching analytical perspectives: a life-course perspective, an intersectional perspective, and a comparative perspective. Together, these perspectives make it possible to analyse how family trajectories unfold over time, how inequalities between social groups emerge, and how institutional and cultural contexts shape demographic behaviour across countries.
More concretely, GenFam focuses on four main areas of research.
- Family structures, relationships, and well-being
This research area examines how the growing diversity of partnership and household arrangements relates to social support and individual well-being. It explores attitudes toward different family forms as well as the resources individuals can mobilise within and beyond the family, including friendships and broader social networks. The analyses also explore how these patterns differ across social groups and national contexts. - Gender relations and the organisation of work
This research area analyses how couples organise paid employment and domestic responsibilities. Particular attention is given to the relationship between gender role attitudes and everyday household practices. It also investigates how educational attainment, occupational characteristics, and labour market opportunities shape partners’ employment patterns and the division of unpaid work. - Fertility behaviour and reproductive decision-making
This research area focuses on the factors shaping fertility intentions and outcomes, including delayed parenthood and increasing childlessness. It examines how reproductive decisions are influenced by gender relations, economic resources, cultural norms, and perceptions of uncertainty. This also includes attitudes toward and the use of reproductive technologies across different social groups. - Policy context and institutional responses
This research area examines the policy environment relevant to families, gender equality, and reproduction in Switzerland. Through policy mapping, document analysis, and expert consultations, it assesses how existing policies address the societal developments examined in this project and identifies areas where institutional responses may lag behind social change, including potential gaps between policy frameworks and lived realities.
Empirically, GenFam adopts a multi-method research design that combines longitudinal survey data, cross-national comparison, and qualitative and policy-oriented analyses. By integrating these approaches, the project provides a comprehensive understanding of how family life, gender relations, and fertility are changing in contemporary Switzerland and Europe, and generates evidence to inform both academic research and policy debates.
Consortium members
