Modelling Household Formation and Dissolution

Household demography is of paramount importance for policy formulation in fields such as social security, housing, and employment. Nevertheless, detailed knowledge of household demography is still very limited, in particular with regard to the modelling aspects. Unlike the study of individuals, there is little agreement among population researchers as to the approach best suited to studying the demographic aspects of households. This book traces trends in key aspects of modelling. It discusses social and economic theories, data problems, model-building issues, and the application of household models. The focus is on the dynamics of the household: household formation and dissolution. The editors have included sections reviewing current practice, and the book will be a help for anyone wanting to improve the quality of existing household models such as professional or academic demographers, social scientists, and economists.