Scholarship in this area investigates families and family life from a number of perspectives. Researchers in this area rely on both quantitative and qualitative methods and a variety of data sources, such as cross-national surveys, Swedish register data, in-depth interviews, and historical documents.
Reconciling the tension between work and family is a significant challenge for modern societies as it affects not only labor force participation and fertility but also gender equality in terms of career opportunities, economic resources, and health. Thus, our research questions lie at the intersection of work, family, and the welfare state. For instance, we design research to examine how individuals combine work and family in different welfare states and whether this division of labour affect perceptions of fairness and life satisfaction. We also explore other attitudes regarding family and gender related to non-traditional family formation and the gendered division of labour. Additional examples of research include how gendered social relations shape and transform women's and men's health in relation to family life and employment as well as demographic transitions like childbirth and divorce.
Childhood experiences affect children's education, careers, and health later in adulthood. Our research analyses how family characteristics and resources influence these and other outcomes for children. For example, we study the relative importance of family composition, family characteristics, and family resources on children, both during childhood and later in life.
Scholarship in this area focuses on micro-level processes in families and couples, and we examine a number of phenomena central to family life. For example, we study how couples make decisions about the organization of family life and the household economy. We also explore how people understand concepts like family, intimacy, and care in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships as well as in couples who live apart. Additionally, we study the experiences of single individuals. We also design research on women's identities in relation to contradictory discourses about the good mother and the good career woman. We explore these questions in the context of the risk society and how neoliberal reforms of welfare affect women's and men's identities. Finally, we also use a sociology of scientific knowledge perspective to explore the analysis of families. Specifically, we investigate in what ways this perspective alters our image of and understanding of the analysis of people's daily lives and private conditions.
