Chapter 12: Intergenerational Relations Among Israeli Families

Global changes in human history have not only influenced macro systems such as nations and societies, but also micro systems such as families. Current global shifts like postindustrial economy and aging populations, have affected nation-states’ welfare policies, and posed new challenges to both individuals and families (Powell & Hendricks, 2009). Accordingly, family relationship, roles, norms, and obligations, (conceptualized as intergenerational family solidarity) have undergone changes, compelling nation-states to reassess, respond, and oftentimes alter the services that they provide to meet their population’s changing needs.

In modern welfare states, the responsibility for fragile members of the family—old and young—is shared between the family and the state. Intergenerational solidarity is therefore perceived as the outcome of complex processes that link individualistic dynamics with societal or state influences (Lowenstein & Daatland, 2006). The state-family dynamics depends on various factors (Herlofson et al., 2011): political history of the state (Oliveira et al., 2014); strength of infrastructure of formal services (Motel-Klingebiel et al., 2005) or their availability (Daatland & Lowenstein, 2005); changes in family structure and dynamics, including socioeconomic factors such as rates of participation in labor force (Caïs & Folguera, 2013); culture and religion, ethnicity, and tradition (Kagitcibasi et al., 2010; Katz, 2009a).