Abstract
In the article the author presents information on conceptual frameworks explaining the relations among family generations and the function of kinship net- works in contemporary societies within our cultural domain. Given the marginal po- sition of this topic in Czech sociology, she first examines Anglo-Saxon sociological literature, enumerates those subjects which are currently the centre of interest in so- ciological and social gerontological research: 1. the congruency of parents and adult children, 2. interaction between the two generations, identification of the causes of their conflicts, 3. the importance of socialisation towards kinship responsibility, 4. the motivation of mutual help and aid, 5. the types of expected family support and actual support behaviour, 6. changes in the nature of exchanged sources and the di- rection of their flow throughout the life cycle, the alternative sources in its particular phase, 7. the consequences of a divorce on intergenerational relations within the family, 8. social networks of childless people in older age groups etc. From among theoretical concepts the author identifies equity, obligation and attach- ment theories as well as the concepts of identity, salience and crescive bonds. She adds to them the concept of family/kinship solidarity which, from an empirical point of view, is very supportive and which can be integrated with the abovementioned theories. The article concludes with a select bibliography.
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