Matteo Moscatelli

Relational Networks of Young Couples and Marriage Choice Paths in Italy: Data on Membership and Influence

This chapter proposes an exploratory research on morphological structure and functions of the personal networks of young Italians organizing their lives as couples during their transition to married life. In Italy, next to the weakening and a process of deinstitutionalization of marriages (Cherlin 2004; Bramanti 2013), new ways of forming couples are spreading such as long cohabitation and live apart together (LAT) with no intention to get married. Young people experience new relational codes in a social context that promote the reversibility of choices and/or the privatization of behaviours. These configurations affect the traditional role (and identity) of the family within society and could trigger a series of knock-on effects on future generations. A recent publication in fact has sized up the Italian situation by noting that the increase in unstable, fragmented couples poses questions about the future of society there (Donati 2012).

Active ageing e sociogeneratività: analisi delle reti e scambi intergenerazionali. un’indagine quantitativa su scala nazionale.

The present work proposes, from the data of a survey conducted at national level, in 2013-14, with 900 seniors between 65 and 74 years old, an exploration of active ageing dimensions. In the concept of activity, applied to the condition of the elderly, can be found both an individual dimension, and a social dimension. As regards to the first, the elders choose to play an active role as a subjective option, which brings into play the whole spectrum of physical, psychological, relational, ethical resources of the individual. This option then assumes, however, a specific relevance in society because, through the activity, it is possible for the elderly people to experience a inter and prosocial dimension, crucial for a successful social role. In this paper we propose to explore which elements are relevant in maintaining an active lifestyle for elderly Italians with particular attention to the reconstruction of the morphology of networks, to various levels of intergenerational exchanges and to orientations and values.