Abstract
AbstractThis chapter provides a systematic overview of some of the most widely used concepts in comparative family policy research. We situate the conceptual approaches in their respective research tradition, define the concepts’ main characteristics, and highlight differences and similarities between concepts. All approaches we discuss are rooted in feminist and mainstream comparative welfare state research that considers nation-states as the main unit of analysis. To foreclose some of our conclusions, similarities between the concepts seem often stronger than the differences. However, we show that there are important nuances, which can be critical in drawing comparative conclusions about family policy and its expected outcomes. We argue that some of the conceptual nuances have been blurred over time and this takes its toll on the conceptual rigor in the research field. The chapter provides the basis for informed choices on using one rather than another concept in empirical comparative family policy research.
Highlights
Comparative family policy research relies on concepts that define the relationships between the welfare state and the family
Questions related to the conceptual scope are: (1) Who is considered as the main addressees of family policy interventions? (2) Does a concept focus on gender and/or intergenerational relationships? (3) Is the concept defined from the perspective of the caregiver and/or the care receiver? (4) Does the concept consider the state and/or the market as welfare providers alongside the family? The main methodological distinction is whether a concept points to ideal types in family policy regimes or not (5)
The relationship between the welfare state and the family is a key aspect in any conceptual approach to comparative family policy research
Summary
Comparative family policy research relies on concepts that define the relationships between the welfare state and the family. In comparative family policy analysis, there is arguably a good level of exchange of conceptual ideas between the different comparative approaches. We situate each conceptual approach in their respective research tradition, define the concepts’ main characteristics and demarcate them from similar ones. All conceptual approaches we discuss are rooted in comparative welfare state research, which considers nation-states as the main unit of analysis. What follows is the heart of the chapter, presenting definitions and discussions around two classes of concepts in comparative family policy research: categorical concepts (captured in typologies) and gradual concepts (measurable as indexes or scales). Conceptual approaches in comparative family policy research are rooted in distinct research traditions. Today, the ideas once driving different conceptualizations are less visible in research applying them, and are often
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