To better understand the consequences of career breaks within the scope of governmental schemes to support a better work-life balance, research so far has mainly focused on the effects of parental leave for women and gender gaps in wage differentials. Mortelmans and Frans (2017) go beyond these shortcomings by examining the impact of career breaks on the income of both men and women, and across the life course.

When do young Europeans move out from their parents’ home? When do they start working? When do they get married? So far, and mostly due to data availability, little research actually focuses on the transition to adulthood from a European perspective. In this study, K. Schwanitz contributes to the literature by comparing transitions to adulthood in eight European countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania and the Netherlands).

Sex ratio at birth (SRB) indicates the ratio of males to females in a population, which under undisturbed conditions tend to be approximately 104 to 106 males per 100 females born. This indicator has risen in a few Asian countries since the 1980s, and it has remained abnormally higher than expected for almost 30 years. The cases of China (115.9 in 2014), Azerbaijan (115.6 in 2013), Vietnam (112.2 average for 2013/2014), India (110.0 average for 2011/2013) and Albania (109.0 average for 2012/2013) are a few examples.

Whether children stabilize or destabilize unions has long interested nearly everyone. Most studies by social scientists indicate the former—that kids are a stabilizing force in relationships—but union types are becoming more diverse, and with them social norms.

The image of women as the only caregivers in families is being questioned as demographic evidence becomes more and more available. By exploring two national surveys, the Spanish Survey on Disability, Personal Autonomy and Dependency (EDAD) from 2008 and the 2002-2003 Level-of-Living Survey by Statistic’s Sweden, Antonio Abellan and colleagues looked at dynamics inside households. The author’s main focus lied on the household structure, i.e. intergenerational, single- or couples-only living arrangements, and on the identification of the caregiver for each household type.