Sociological and legal perspectives on families

Throughout history, family has always been an important part of life for the vast majority of people. However, social changes, which include the increasing number of unmarried couples, are causing families to change continuously. Even though many of the family configurations, which we know today, had already existed in the past, people’s motives for selecting a specific family form have changed.

The diversity of family forms can be seen in, for example, the growing number of separations and divorces as well as diverse options for family life after parental separation or divorce. Thus, parents of minor children are now in a position to choose from a variety of options when it comes to the legal and physical custody of their children; as a consequence, parents have more options in deciding in which family environment they and their children will live after a separation or divorce.

The main interest of the research project “Family Models in Germany“ (FAMOD) is, therefore, to examine life in different family models across Germany. The focus of the project is on the well-being of the individual family members.

While the majority of families in Germany still resemble the traditional family model, which consists of a father, a mother and a child, recent developments have led to an increased importance of other family models.

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The project “Family Models in Germany” (FAMOD) examines life in different family forms. Therefore, both parents and children have taken part in the survey.

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The collaborative and interdisciplinary research project is carried out by sociologists of the University of Duisburg-Essen and jurists of the University of Marburg.

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In the course of the project, the team will attend and organize scientific conferences. In addition, our findings will be made available to the public.

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