INTEGRATE: International Network of Generational Transfers Research

人口老龄化是一个全球性的现象。各国政府都担心这对财政的影响。特别是，国家通过公共资金转移提供服务和支持的程度。这进一步引发了人们对从日益衰退的年轻一代向日益增长的老年一代转移的公平性的担忧。在税收水平、福利的可获得性和退休年龄等问题上，存在着重大的争论。然而，这只解决了一半的问题，并忽略了发生在家庭内部的私人转移。私人财富的转移（以及实物支持）不仅对年轻一代的生存机会越来越重要，而且对老年人的保护也越来越重要。年轻人的机会越来越依赖于他们在面对关键生活事件（如教育、组建家庭和拥有住房）时获得的援助水平。此外，由于有限的公共资源捉襟见肘，家庭的支持（再次）成为老年人的一个重要方面，作为防止贫困和增加护理需求的一种保险。目前的许多研究都集中在这种“代际冲突”上——转移是否发生，以及转移的方向：公众关注向上的转移（从年轻人到老一辈），而私人关注向下的转移（从父母到子女和孙辈）。但很少有研究考虑到这些转移对不平等的再生产以及未来社会的福利和福祉的影响。因此，几代人之间和几代人之间的转移问题是国家和国际一级日益引起关注的新领域，但许多研究都集中在单个国家。比较研究正在发展，然而，由于数据的可用性仍然存在限制；对西方发达国家的关注；缺乏与其他学者建立和发展联系的资金/资源。体制、政策和文化差异存在于各个国家之间，然而，代际和代际转移的性质和需要是普遍的。这个新的研究人员网络将汇集该领域的专业知识，分享当前的知识，并重要地确定理解方面的关键差距。INTEGRATE网络的具体目的是发展国际研究和维持国际联系，以便继续分享和交换数据、研究和知识。

The ageing of populations is a global phenomenon. National governments are concerned about the financial implications of this. In particular, the extent to which states can provide services and support through public transfers of funds. This raises further concerns about the equity of transfers away from a declining younger generation toward a growing older generation. There are significant debates to be had around the level of taxes, availability of benefits, and age of retirement. This however addresses only half of the issue, and ignores the private transfers that take place within families. The transfer of private wealth (and in-kind support) is increasingly important not only for the life chances of younger generations but also the protection of older ones. Younger people's opportunities are increasingly dependent upon the level of assistance they receive as they face key life events (such as education, starting a family and home ownership). Furthermore, as limited public resources are stretched, support from families has (once again) become an important aspect for older people as an insurance against poverty and increased care needs. Much current works focuses on this 'generational conflict' - whether transfers happen, and which direction they operate: a public focus on upward transfers (from younger to older generations) or a private focus on downward transfers (from parents to children and grandchildren). But little research considers the implications of these transfers for the reproduction of inequalities and the welfare and wellbeing of future societies. The issue of transfers across and within generations is thus an emerging and growing area of concern at national and international level, but much research has concentrated on single countries. Comparative research is developing, however, there are still restrictions due to data availability; a focus on western developed nations; and lack of funds/resources to build and develop connections with other scholars.Institutional, policy and cultural differences exist across individual nations, however, the nature and need for inter- and intra-generational transfers is universal. This new network of researchers will bring together expertise in the field, share current knowledge and importantly identify key gaps in understanding. The INTEGRATE Network will have a specific purpose of developing international research, and maintaining international links for the continued sharing and exchange of data, research and knowledge.