Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the experience of childlessness, which is an increasing one across European Countries. Namely, it deals with the socio-economic drivers and consequences that distinguish the life of childless individuals from that of parents. Mirroring each phase of a hypothetical individual lifecycle, it starts by analysing how intentions to be childless are later realised their realizations (Chapter 2). It then goes on to investigate the individual and contextual determinants of childlessness and how they have changed over time (Chapter 3 and Chapter 4). Last it considers the consequences that childlessness might induce in adulthood and later life (Chapter 5). This is done by combining demographic and sociological perspectives in a joint interpretative framework. Overall the thesis shows that both economic contraints and individual values has a role in determining the choice of a childless life, and highlights how these decisions are taken in contexts where a purality of macro factors interacts in moderating the indivdidual risk of being childless. Understanding the drives to childlessness is relevant also when interpreting the potential effects that being childless has on the life of individuals. All in all, the study shows that the consequences of being childless also depend on how people came to be without children.