Recordings of Past Events

Interview with Tomáš Sobotka (Vienna Institute of Demography) on fertility in times of crisis. Questions: 1. We want to have children, but given the current economic crisis, we are not sure whether it is a good time right now. Do other people worry about the crisis when planning their families, and what are the effects? 2. Does it make a difference to family planning in times of economic crisis what kind of job people have? 3. Are there factors like family support, social networks or the infamous “biological clock” that are helping to overcome these worries?

An interview with Gunnar Andersson (Stockholm University) on family planning. Questions: 1. My partner and I are planning on having children, but both our jobs are very insecure and we think maybe we should wait until at least one of us is in a more stable situation. On the other hand, unemployment would give us more time to care for the baby. How do other people in Europe deal with this? 2. Are there differences between people with higher qualifications, who therefore also have more interesting job perspectives, and lower skilled workers?

An interview with Sorana Toma (ENSAE–Laboratoire de Sociologie Quantitative) on migration and immigration. Questions: 1. I am planning to live in another country once I finish my studies and I feel it is very important to already know some people there. Is that generally the case when people decide to move to another country? 2. What can be the downsides of such “migrant networks” for the newcomer? 3. Is it easier to find a good job in your new home country if you already studied there?

Interview with Bruno Arpino (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) on health and grandparenting. Questions: 1. My daughter and her partner are expecting their first child. As they both have quite demanding jobs I would like to offer my help in looking after the baby, but I am also a bit worried that my other activities might suffer from this. What have you found to be realistic based on your research? 2. Is grandparenting as good of a social activity as being in a sport’s club or a choir in terms of benefits for an older person’s health?

An interview with Anna Matysiak (Vienna Institute of Demography, Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital) on childlessness. Questions: 1. When friends ask me why I don’t have children, I can’t really name a reason, apart from “it just never happened”. Is that also the case for other childless women? 2. What are the most important factors in the life histories of childless women? 3. Are these factors universal, or did you find country differences?

An interview with Katalin Kovács (Hungarian Demographic Research Institute) on life expectancy. Questions: 1. The media often report that men die earlier than women, and non-affluent people sooner than those who are wealthy, is this really true? 2. Comparing the impact of gender and education on mortality, which is stronger? 3. Are these patterns similar everywhere in Europe, or is the situation different in post-socialist central and eastern European countries?

An interview with Michaela Kreyenfeld (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research) on fatherhood. Questions: 1. My former partner and I split up some years ago, but I am still very involved in the upbringing of our child. However, I often feel that separated fathers have quite a bad image – what is the reality in Europe? 2. What are the main factors that influence the level of contact a father has after a separation? 3. To what extent can policies and legal frameworks influence the behaviour of fathers?

An interview with Athina Vlachantoni (University of Southampton) on work-life-balance. Questions: 1. Balancing my work and family life with two kids sometimes feels very stressful to me and I worry what effects this might have on my health when I get older. What are the experiences of women who are over 60? 2. Does it make a difference whether women worked full-time, part-time, or interrupted their career to stay at home with the children?

An interview with Arnstein Aassve (Bocconi University) on the impact of recession on the younger generation. Questions: 1. My friends and I are all trying to obtain the best possible qualifications. Nevertheless we are worried that because of the recession it will take forever until we can live independent lives. How bad are the prospects for the younger generation in Europe? 2. Do highly qualified unemployed young people have a chance to compensate for this initial “bad start” later on?

An interview with Agnese Vitali (University of Southampton) on female breadwinners. Questions: 1. Looking at the income of European families, who is typically the “breadwinner” these days? 2. Are there typical scenarios of how women become the main earner? 3. Are there European countries where the numbers of female breadwinners are especially high, and what are the reasons for this? 4. What has changed the most about the income situation of families over the last decade, and what will the development be like in the next ten years?