Quelles familles ? Quels logements ?

Abstract

Following French research on family transformations and their effects on the residential environment, a research workshop was set up by the Réseau socio-économie de l'habitat to examine an issue of common concern: family, housing and urbanization. Starting in 1998, researchers from different countries of southern Europe (Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal) and from Romania came together to study the interactions between sociodemographic changes and urban development in these countries over the last fifty years. This book analyses the consequences of changing family structures on housing and, conversely, the effects of urbanization and industrialization on the lifestyles of households. In more concrete terms, the issues covered can be summarized in the following questions. Has urbanization led to nuclearization of the family in southern Europe? Has the spread of a family model led to the spread of a specific housing model, as is the case in France? Mirroring the convergence of demographic behaviours, can we detect a convergence of residential behaviours in southern Europe? How do new patterns of family behaviour act upon demand for housing and how, in turn, does housing supply modify family behaviour ?