Family Composition and Remarriage in Pre-Transitional Italy: A Comparative Study

Marco Breschi (1) , Alessio Fornasin (2) , Matteo Manfredini (3) , Marianna Zacchigna (2)

1 Department of Economics
2 Department of Statistics
3 Department of Genetics Anthropology Evolution

It is well known that timing and intensity of remarriage were strictly dependent upon demographic, socio-economic, cultural and legislative factors specific to each community. Thus, the aim of this paper is to compare the extent to which such factors may affect the remarriage patterns of three pre-transitional Italian populations that were different in many respects. By using micro-level data of the sharecropping communities of Casalguidi and Madregolo and the Alpine village of Treppo Carnico, we highlighted similarities and differences in the respective remarriage patterns, in particular, the far lower intensity in the mountain community with respect to the sharecropping ones. Our findings show that along with differences in the demographic system, household structure and land tenure, normative elements concerning widows and the dotal system could in part explain the differentials we found.

Mots clés: Remarriage; Household Structure; Italy; Remariage; Structure des ménages; Italie

Marco Breschi, Alessio Fornasin, Matteo Manfredini, Marianna Zacchigna. Family Composition and Remarriage in Pre-Transitional Italy: A Comparative Study. European Journal of Population / Revue européenne de Démographie, 2008, 25 (3), pp.277-296. ⟨10.1007/s10680-008-9172-8⟩. ⟨hal-00478422⟩