Why do older people fall in love? Partnership transitions and family relations in later life.  Seminar

The Centre for Population Change seminar will be held on 23 November 2018 in Building 67, Room 1001, 12:00-13:00. Anna Rotkirch from the Research at Population Research Institute is going to give a talk entitled, 'Why do older people fall in love? Partnership transitions and family relations in later life'.

After the talk, refreshments will be served in room 2041 on level 2 in Building 58.

Abstract: Rates of divorce, remarriage, cohabitation and dating are rising among the elderly as the second demographic transition is now reshaping old age. This poses interesting new questions about the functions, benefits and costs of post-reproductive pair bonds, both to the individual and to family relations. Yet there is a lack of both empirical data and theoretical understanding about "gray" couple relations. Why do older people fall in love, or out of love? Why do so many women aged 50+ and with a new partner prefer not to marry? How does remarriage affect women's and men's relations to grandchildren?

My talk presents the rationale and first results of a new research on partnership dynamics in old age in Europe, using data from the UN marital database and the longitudinal study Generational Transmissions in Finland.
About the CPC: Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the ESRC Centre for Population Change (CPC) is investigating how and why our population is changing and what this means for people, communities and governments. The Centre is a joint partnership between the Universities of Southampton, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Stirling and Strathclyde. Our research agenda is planned in collaboration with the Office for National Statistics and the National Records of Scotland.

All future seminars and events will be advertised on the CPC website.