Raffaele Grotti (University of Trento)
Juho Härkönen, (European University Institute)
The present session aims at building on the life-course perspective to study the consequences
of ‘trigger events’. In the stratification literature, ‘trigger events’ are life events which come with
consequences for individuals’ and families’ lives as well as for intra-generational mobility
processes, and are thus viewed as mechanisms that have the potential to (re)produce social
stratification. Job loss, divorce or health shocks are only some examples.
Studying life events from a life-course perspective poses the attention to timing: the
consequences of events are likely to vary according to the age and the life stage at which events
are experienced by individuals. Indeed, the events’ consequences can be harsher for individuals
who were about to make relevant life transitions, such as educational, labour market, migratory
or family transitions. For example, we can expect job loss or a health shock to be a particularly
disrupting force for family formation if experienced at the life stage when individuals make
family plans.
Existing research has recently paid increasingly attention to the heterogeneous effects of life
events, focusing on heterogeneity by education, income, gender, and other characteristics.
However, research on heterogeneity by life course stage is still largely underdeveloped.
The present session welcomes empirical contributions that employ a life-course perspective to
investigate the short- and long-term consequences of a wide range of life events on a wide range
of life domains. Life events may include, but are not limited to, employment, poverty and family
transitions while life domains may include employment, education, family, and health. The
session is open to contributions that focus on both Italy and other European and non-European
countries.