Laboratory

Population Dynamics and Sustainable Well-Being

At a Glance Projects Publications Team

Research Area

Transfers and Economic Fairness

Intergenerational transfers are a vital component of the human life course, and they are necessary for providing crucial support to individuals during their life stages of economic dependency, such as childhood or at old ages. The well-being and security of vulnerable age groups crucially depend on resources intergenerationally transferred, provided by more economically productive members of society. Such transfers, both private and through publicly funded schemes, have important consequences for intergenerational equity and raise questions about the generational fairness of institutional settings.

Projects in this research area study generational resource sharing in the form of financial transfers, time transfers, and intergenerational contact patterns. In one of our projects, we analyze transfers of nonmonetary resources between different generations and genders. Our aim is to estimate variations in the production and consumption of care time across various demographic groups. By measuring these flows, we gain insights into the differences and dynamics of caregiving responsibilities among heterogeneous segments of the population. A related project focuses on examining the intricate relationship between demographic processes and transfers. More specifically, we investigate the effects of transfers on health, well-being, and survival outcomes. In a complementary project, we analyze how mortality rates, demographic processes, and kinship structures influence the patterns and dynamics of transfers of wealth and how these transfers are stratified by race. By exploring these interconnected factors, we gain a deep understanding of the complex interplay between demographic processes and the exchange of intergenerational resources.

In recent developments, we have also worked on leveraging advanced statistical and machine-learning methods to forecast life-course sequences, encompassing career outcomes and life trajectories. The primary objective is to identify at-risk groups prone to long-term unemployment or financial hardship, thus providing valuable insights to inform targeted policy interventions.

Projects of this Research Area