Families in the 21st Century

In just 115, pages, Families in the 21 Century depicts why the theoretical arguments used to account for family changes ensuing in the second half of the twentieth century must be reconsidered in the twenty-first. In the new millennium, countries that have progressed the farthest along what Gøsta EspingAndersen and others term ‘‘the gender revolution’’ are now experiencing higher fertility, greater family stability, and better child outcomes. This is particularly the case when countries have enacted social policies that enable families to combine childcare activities and dual-earner responsibilities, in the form of paid parental leave and early childhood education and care. Esping-Andersen seeks to shake the hegemony of two theories that have long dominated demographic explanations of changes in the family: Becker’s model of specialization, and the rival explanation, the Second Demographic Transition. Whereas the first is grounded in role specialization and, in operation, separate spheres to enable couples to maximize utility, the latter is premised on cultural changes that shift the emphasis to individual desires and needs over societal imperatives, or an emphasis on ‘‘postmodern’’ values of autonomy over partnership. But in societies that increasingly encourage both women and men to work, especially in the face of aging populations experiencing slower population growth (or even decline) and persistent and gender-similar fertility desires, such theories break down. More countries now encourage dual-worker and dual-carer models rather than just providercarer families. Also challenging SDT theory, Esping-Andersen suggests that perhaps women and men were never as individualistic as was presumed. In fact, he presents evidence that women and men have very similar views of ideal family size. In essence, Esping-Andersen has provided those who fear that the future of the family is a grim one with an alternative narrative: countries that have embraced and enabled gender egalitarianism are now the ones that best enable individuals and couples to attain their family goals. Sifting through an expansive academic literature on fertility, employment, family stability, and child outcomes, Esping-Andersen distills the findings of the most recent studies into a case for genderegalitarian policies. He draws on studies using a wide range of data sets, that cover a broad array of cohorts, and that utilize longitudinal data to explore union stability over time. This review of the research is highly accessible to the general public and undergraduate readers. It is also ideal for graduate students seeking to understand the broad sweep of research on family change in Europe and the United States. Subsections in the text ask and answer questions that are central to his argument (such as ‘‘How Far Has the Revolution of Women’s Roles Progressed? ’’ or ‘‘Is Female Income Dominance Becoming Normatively Acceptable? ’’). Careful attention is paid to disentangling the extent to which these observed outcomes are universal or more limited to the most advantaged, in a nod to Sara McLanahan’s U.S.-based argument on ‘‘Diverging Destinies. ’’ Although variation in outcomes by educational attainment and social class are found in various studies, Esping-Andersen is careful to point out that such distinctions remain largest in societies with higher levels of inequality, such as the United States. Esping-Andersen builds his case in three concise chapters. The first chapter explores long-run trends in the key dimensions of family life, such as marriage and divorce rates and fertility intentions and behaviors. The second chapter assesses how the gender revolution, which in its early stages destabilized the family, has matured, and how as female employment becomes increasingly normative, countries that adapt to best enable women to remain in the work force and men to engage in family life are more likely to experience positive family outcomes. He calls this achieving ‘‘a new family equilibrium. ’’ Reviews 177