(Un)changing gender relations and family diversity in Switzerland: causes, consequences, and challenges from a compartive perspective (GenFam)
GenFam is the first comprehensive project to systematically examine six key societal challenges related to the unchanging gender relations in paid and unpaid work, increasing family diversity and declining fertility in Switzerland from a comparative perspective through scientifically rigorous analysis. In collaboration with ten partners from seven Swiss universities, the project uses an innovative cross-national and multi-method research design that integrates quantitative evidence with in-depth qualitative research.
The project is structured around four main work packages and eight sub-projects, which adopt a life course, intersectional and comparative perspective. From a life course perspective, the challenges of fertility, family diversification and gender division are linked to critical transitions such as parenthood or divorce, over which risks accumulate and inequalities can widen over time. From an intersectional perspective, these dynamics are likely to vary by gender, cohort, educational, socio-economic and migratory background. A comparative perspective makes it possible to examine how institutional contexts - such as regulations and policies - and social norms shape differences in such developments in Switzerland and across Europe. It will also provide a basis for assessing the adequacy of Swiss policies in addressing potential negative consequences of these challenges and identifying areas for improvement.
The project will use a multi-method approach to test hypotheses quantitatively, while complementing these findings with in-depth qualitative research. GenFam will draw on newly collected longitudinal and cross-national data from the Swiss Generation and Gender Survey (GGS), whose design provides a strong empirical basis for testing the hypotheses developed in the WPs/SPs at the micro and macro levels. To our knowledge, no other currently available dataset offers the same level of detail and comprehensiveness to address the questions of this project. GenFam will advance both the Swiss and international academic community through the production of academic and policy papers, and the GGS data will be a valuable teaching resource in family sociology, demography and social policy, and longitudinal data collection and analysis. It will facilitate the training of future cohorts of students and young researchers interested in these topics from a national and comparative perspective. In addition, the combination of GGS data with a structured policy database will provide a powerful knowledge resource for future research projects. By combining statistical and policy analysis, GenFam will also make a significant contribution to social policy research by evaluating existing policies and programs and identifying gaps. By contextualizing findings within the relevant policy landscape, both academics and policy makers may be able to evaluate and develop more effective strategies to address these societal challenges.