VZ1.1
The rise of individual values and intergenerational care
Principal investigator: Mgr. Martin Lakomý, Ph.D., PEF MENDELU
Is family care under threat, or is it simply undergoing a transformation?
This research activity examines how the nature of family caregiving is changing across generations at a time when people increasingly emphasise their own needs, freedom, and independence. We explore how these shifts influence both the willingness and the ability to care for others—specifically for grandchildren and ageing parents. Using long-term international datasets (SHARE, the Generations and Gender Programme – GGP, and the Longitudinal Study of Generations), we compare the situation in the Czech Republic with developments in other countries. We focus on how care is distributed among family members, the roles played by gender, education, and financial circumstances, and what these dynamics mean for society as a whole. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of whether individualisation is weakening traditional family solidarity or whether it is instead opening new ways for people to support one another under the evolving conditions of contemporary life.
VZ1.2
Partner trajectories and intergenerational relationships
Principal investigator: Mgr. Zuzana Žilinčíková, Ph.D., KSoc FSS MU
What does family solidarity look like in a time when partnerships often end before they truly begin, and people are increasingly living alone? This research activity investigates how family ties and intergenerational support are changing in the context of rising partnership instability and growing individualisation. It focuses particularly on how the partnership trajectories of adult children (e.g., single living, break-ups, parenthood without a partner) influence their relationships with parents and the exchange of support between them. For example, people without a partner may rely more heavily on family support, while at the same time having fewer resources to provide help themselves. A second strand of the research examines how socioeconomic conditions and gender shape access to partnership and intergenerational relationships. We will also explore whether these factors contribute to widening social inequalities. We are interested in who is disadvantaged within these relationships and what consequences this has, particularly during vulnerable life stages such as illness or unemployment. The aim of this activity is not only to deepen our understanding of current trends in family life, but also to provide a basis for the development of social policies that respond to changing family structures and the provision of care.
VZ1.3
Intergenerational care, fertility, and reproductive trajectories
Principal investigator: doc. RNDr. Jiřina Kocourková, Ph.D., PřF UK
Why do people today start families later, less often – or not at all?
This research activity focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of how individuals plan for a family and what factors influence their decisions about parenthood. At the core of the project is an analysis of reproductive life courses using data from the Gender and Generations Programme (GGP). This unique panel dataset provides detailed information not only on the timing and fulfilment of reproductive plans, but also on related values, partnership histories, and the broader socioeconomic context. The research will apply advanced methods of sequence and longitudinal analysis to map how decisions about parenthood evolve over time – including uncertainty and postponement. The aim is to capture shifts in reproductive strategies and how they connect to the availability of support, family structures, and experiences of care within a wider intergenerational framework. The findings will contribute to a better understanding of why some family plans are realised while others remain unfulfilled – and what implications these trends hold for social and family policy.