Family solidarity in the Netherlands

Abstract

Family relationships are an important part of the glue that holds society together and they have traditionally been regarded as one of the key determinants of social cohesion. But important social developments — such as the increasingly ‘fragile’ nature of relationships, decreasing family size, social and spatial mobility, and individualisation — have had a major impact on the position of the family within society. Family issues are the subject of frequent and ongoing debate, particularly in the political arena. Though social scientists have made progress in the way they describe how and to what extent family relationships are changing, many questions remain and little is understood about the causes and potential implications of changing family patterns