Kinship is at the heart of European society, sharing with the state responsibility for welfare and social reproduction. But the workings of kinship and their connection to state policies remain controversial. Received theories have had to be revised in the light of social and demographic change and accumulating evidence of long-standing cultural differences.

In this volume the authors use network data to measure the extent of mutual assistance between relatives and explore its connection to residence and marriage patterns, intergenerational relations, gender roles and fertility. They go on to review the findings of the whole study -- drawing critically on theories of altruism, reciprocity, cultural transmission and socio-economic change. The book closes with some recommendations for policy.