No exit: social reproduction in an era of rising income inequality

Abstract

What explains the unexpected, uneven, but unquestionably pervasive trend towards re-­‐familialization in the rich OECD countries? The usual arguments about political responses to rising income inequality, unstable families, and unstable employment predicted that the state would increasingly shelter people against risk, producing greater individuation and de-­‐ rather than re-­‐familialization. By contrast, we argue three things. First, re-­‐familialization has replaced de-­‐familialization. Second, unequal access to housing drives a large part of re-­‐familialization. Rather than becoming more ‘anglo-­‐nordic,’ countries are becoming more ‘southern european’ in the way that younger cohorts access housing. Third, this inequality driven insecurity and unequal access is felt differently not only between generational cohorts but also within cohorts.