Regional Chances, Regional Constraints? : Transition to Adulthood and Intergenerational Ties in Regional Context

Abstract

Emerging adulthood entails a profound change in child–parent relationships. This development is influenced by the societal context, both on the national and the regional level. Previous studies have confirmed the role of political, economic, and cultural characteristics in explaining differences between countries in young adults’ life-course developments and intergenerational ties. Systematic regionally comparative research on the role of these factors, on the other hand, is still lacking. The aim of this article is to investigate how regional characteristics influence young adults’ intergenerational ties. Drawing on the example of Switzerland, the multilevel analyses use data from the Transitions from Education to Employment study. The findings indicate that different welfare regimes, labor markets, and cultures not only have an indirect effect by shaping opportunities and frames of orientation for life-course developments but also directly influence the intergenerational ties of young adults.