Is blood still thicker than water? A life-course perspective on the transformation of family and friends' roles in personal networks

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Version: After imprimatur
Serval ID
serval:BIB_B21A2D65B068
Type
PhD thesis: a PhD thesis.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Is blood still thicker than water? A life-course perspective on the transformation of family and friends' roles in personal networks
Author(s)
Aeby G.
Director(s)
Gauthier J.-A.
Codirector(s)
Widmer D.
Institution details
Université de Lausanne, Faculté des sciences sociales et politiques
Address
Faculté des sciences sociales et politiques (SSP) Université de Lausanne CH-1015 Lausanne SUISSE
Publication state
Accepted
Issued date
03/2015
Language
english
Number of pages
368
Abstract
This thesis addresses the issue of the moving boundaries between family and friends' roles in personal networks, adopting a life-course perspective and using Switzerland as a case study. In a period of major changes in personal life happening in contemporary Western societies, understanding the organization of personal networks intertwined with the unfolding of individual life courses is of prime importance in facing new challenges with regard to social integration.
The data stem from a representative national survey carried out in 2011 named Family tiMes, including 803 individuals born either in 1950-1955 or in 1970-1975. An innovative research design was adopted, combing cross-sectional ego-centered network data and retrospective longitudinal life-course data.
The results show continuing boundaries between family and friends' roles and that family keeps a prominent role in personal networks despite the notable importance of friendship ties. One relationship stands out above all, that with the partner, followed quite a few steps behind by those with children. Regarding life courses, de-standardization tendencies were found in family formation and also a persistent gendering of occupational trajectories. Two kinds of life trajectories are particularly intertwined with personal networks, co-residence and partnership trajectories, both related to the unfolding of family life. In particular, transition to parenthood functions as a turning point in individuals' lives, deeply transforming their sociability. Finally, a twofold pluralization process was identified, affecting simultaneously the organization of personal networks and the unfolding of individual life courses. This thesis contributes to the literature on the sociology of family and personal life, and to fruitful interlinkage between the network approach and the life-course perspective.
Keywords
personal networks, family, friendship, personal life, life course, network analysis, sequence analysis, Switzerland
Create date
08/04/2015 15:12
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:20
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