Dina Hummelsheim

When Marriage Ends

In recent decades the probability of divorce and separation among married and cohabiting couples has increased significantly in most European countries. Focusing on both economic and social aspects, this comprehensive volume explores the consequences of partnership dissolution at the individual level. The contributors use personal characteristics, properties of the partnerships and the institutional context to explain coping behaviours.

Marital disruption and economic well-being; poverty, income and lifestyle deprivation

In recent decades the probability of divorce and separation among married and cohabiting couples has increased significantly in most European countries. Focusing on both economic and social aspects, this comprehensive volume explores the consequences of partnership dissolution at the individual level. The contributors use personal characteristics, properties of the partnerships and the institutional context to explain coping behaviours.

Strategien der Bearbeitung sozialer Marginalität.

In recent literature state action strategies and collective sensibilities condense to complex regimes of dealing with deviance and marginality. Thereby, national practices of handling social difference combine with public sentiments and mentalities to form coherent cultures of social control. In this article we investigate whether homogeneous cultures of control can be observed in a sample of European countries. Cluster analysis identifies three distinct regimes of governing social marginality: (1) an inclusive regime wherein generous welfare provision and little incarceration merge with low levels of fear of crime and public punitiveness, against the backdrop of considerable trust in public institutions; (2) an exclusionary regime of modest welfare benefits and high imprisonment rates, wherein fear of crime, punitive attitudes and low confidence in governmental institutions are widespread; and (3) a hybrid regime in which inclusive and exclusionary elements form a fragile alliance. The inclusive regime can be found mainly in Scandinavia, the exclusionary regime is implemented particularly in Eastern Europe.

Die Beziehung zwischen Kriminalitätsfurcht und generalisiertem Vertrauen – Mehrebenenanalysen zur Rolle individueller und kontextueller Faktoren

Das Vertrauen in andere Mitmenschen und die Furcht, das Opfer einer Straftat zu werden, stehen in einer engen reziproken Beziehung. Die bisherige Forschung hat bereits einen Zusammenhang zwischen lokaler Unordnung, Vertrauen und Kriminalitatsfurcht festgestellt. Diese haben wiederum Auswirkungen auf die Teilhabe am offentlichen Leben und die Interaktion mit den Mitmenschen.

Introduction: Economic and Social consequences of partnership dissolution - what dowe know and what are we looking for?

Over the last several decades, the probability of divorce and separation among married or cohabiting couples has increased signifi cantly in most European countries, although the level and pace at which this has occurred differs across countries. Much research has been devoted to the causes of this change – for example, to the effects of increased secularization and increased women’s employment on marriage stability. Nevertheless, an equally important area of research is the analysis of the consequences of partnership dissolution. Separation and divorce do not only end unhappy partnerships and open up new perspectives for life. They are also connected with psychological distress, fi nancial strain and many changes in individual living conditions. As we all know, couples are not only bound by love and affection. They live together in one common household, share economic resources, support each other emotionally and practically, try to be good parents to their children and enjoy social relationships with relatives, neighbours and friends. As a consequence, separation and divorce also imply a new organization of personal fi nances, taking up or increasing employment, applying for fi nancial support from the state, arguing about childcare and custody, and searching for social support and new social relationships. Each of these changes can be problematic in itself, and will thus increase the emotional stress caused by partnership disruption. As we have already mentioned, the causes of divorce are an area of intensive research (see the reviews in Wagner and Weiß, 2006). In contrast, not so much attention is directed to the consequences of divorce, at least in the European context. As the examples show, the consequences of separation and divorce are manifold, and they are noticeable both at the individual and the societal levels. This book deals with consequences of partnership