Families and Personal Networks An International Comparative Perspective

(sharon) #1

90


ments of procreation, individuals also include elements of the family of
origin, collaterals, and in-laws in combination with friends. The impor-
tance of the in-laws alongside grandchildren shows the permanence of
strong intergenerational relationships in Portuguese society, as parents-
in- law are important caregivers for their grandchildren. At the same time,
the opposite is also true, as children-in-law, particularly daughters-in-law,
are also important providers of care and support to their parents-in-law.
Concerning co-residency, this factor seems to play an important but sec-
ondary role. Portugal also stands out as the more heterogeneous country
regarding the different types of acquaintanceships, reinforcing again the
diversity of ties included (Table 3.9).
These cross-national differences are thus likely to be associated with
the interdependency between the historical and cultural pathways, eco-
nomical context, and welfare regimes (Ganjour and Widmer 2016 ). For
instance, in Portugal and Lithuania, the predominance of kin is associ-
ated with greater interdependency between family members in terms of
social capital, which is regulated by strong family responsibilities and


Table 3.9 Summary of the main characteristics of the composition of personal
networks, by country


Portugal Switzerland Lithuania
Network size Large Average Small
Kin salience Average to high
kin

Low kin High kin

Types of ties
(distinctive
features)

High integration
of in-laws,
parents, and
grandchildren
Average
integration of
friends

High integration of
friends, colleagues,
and ex-partners
Low integration of
extended kin

Focus on the
nuclear family
High integration
of grandchildren
Low integration
of friends

Co-residence
history

Average
importance

Low importance High importance

Gender
homophily

Cross-gender
preference

Men: cross-gender
preference
Women: same-
gender preference

Cross-gender
preference

Duration of the
relationships

Diversified Very old
acquaintanceships

Very recent
acquaintanceships

R. Gouveia et al.
Free download pdf