Condizioni occupazionali e comportamenti demografici : le singolarità del caso italiano

The article aims to contribute to a better understanding of how labour market dynamics and demographic changes are mutually interrelated, considering the Italian case in a cross-national European framework. Reversing the traditional demographic perspective, the economic sociology approach essentially focuses on how labour market composition and employment conditions play a key role in influencing the individual life courses and the demographic trends, that means timing of transition to adulthood, attitudes to family formation and fertility intentions. Women’s employment is able to influence the tempo and quantum of family formation and fertility. Youth unemployment, job instability and low incomes tend to delay residential independence, economic autonomy and family formation. Low female participation, youth unemployment and job insecurity have a key role on the very negative demographic trend that is affecting -in different ways- southern European countries. Within this framework labour and social security policies, together with measures that contribute to the de-familiarization of society have a relevant place.

L’articolo parte dall’assunto che i cambiamenti demografici e il mercato del lavoro siano interrelati e si influenzino reciprocamente secondo modalità che modificano le tradizioni di ricerca di ciascun ambito disciplinare e ne richiedono un nuovo dialogo. Secondo la prospettiva della sociologia economica, l’articolo ha considerato gli effetti del mercato del lavoro sui comportamenti demografici, facendo riferimento al caso italiano in un quadro di comparazione europeo.