This book, edited by Dimitri Mortelman (University of Antwerp, Centre for Population, Family and Health), gathers studies from across Europe and Israel. It present the latest insights in studies on family dynamics from a European perspective. The book connects two crucial concepts that are at the heart of our network: divorce and Europe. We focus on divorce as the phenomenon of interest. In its strictest form, divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage. It is captured in official statistics and can be compared across countries. As will be shown in the first part of this book, figures on divorce rates have been on the rise for decades and seem to be levelling off or have started to decline in recent years for some countries. On the other hand, divorce can also be understood as the sociological phenomenon of uncoupling that incorporates much more realities than its strict legal significance might reveal.
The book covers both macro and micro level studies and deals with causes and consequences of uncoupling. The long-term research agenda for divorce researchers is promising and bursting with new opportunities, new challenges and new exciting discoveries to be made. This book is a first step in this direction showing the newest developments collected in one volume.