Family Formation: an Intergenerational Comparison Subtitlte: The Relevance of Social Inequalities for Family Formation in a Transnational Migration Context

Abstract

How do processes of family formation change over generations? What is the relevance of social inequalities for these processes and what kinds of strategies do family members develop to deal with them? Based on a case study of members of two generations from the same family using a biographical approach, we will demonstrate the diversity of family formation within one family. The article generates insights about the complexity of family formation processes, as previous research has shown that there is a fertility variation between and within migrant groups of different origins. The selected family is involved in a transnational migration process, originally from the former Yugoslavia, coming to Switzerland and then moving to Kosovo. Migration experiences started with the grandfathers’ seasonal work migration. The family members were affected by social inequalities based on class, gender and ethnicity that are analysed using the concept of socio-cultural boundaries. The results illustrate the ways restrictions on access to the labour market, discrimination, educational institutions and selective migration regimes influence and shape family formation processes. It reveals that members of the same family develop diverse strategies to deal with exclusion and discrimination processes comparing their positions in transnational fields. We show how these family negotiation processes are interrelated with ethnicity and class and change over the generations. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that the transmission of gender norms in this family is influenced by the experienced socio-cultural boundaries. In sum, we show the complexity of family formation processes and intergenerational changes in interaction with intersectional social inequalities that are also shaped by migration policies.