Tiziana Nazio is Lecturer in the Department of Cultures, Politics & Society at the University of Turin.

• 1. Introduction 2. Diffusion Proceses and Longitudinal Approach 3. The Diffusion Process of Cohabitation and Time 4. Socio-Demographic Factors and the Influence of Institutional Contexts 5. Research Design: Combining Micro and Macro in a Comparative Perspective 6. Living Independently, Marrying and the Diffusion of Cohabitation 7. Conclusions

"Nazio (sociology, U. of Oxford) examines the social and institutional contexts and the characteristics of individuals to analyze why people choose to cohabit rather than marry. The author notes that as recently as 40 years ago, Europeans typically began their first union with marriage and raised children within the framework of marriage. The study includes discussions of the influences that compel individuals to enter into cohabitation rather than marriage, such as traditional beliefs, sanctions, changing and varying social norms, economic or material considerations, and beliefs and ideology specifically regarding marriage." -- Book News Inc., August 2008"Nazio presents a wealth of information in a concise and straightforward manner. Although the book may focus on diffusion theory, she also provides very detailed (demographic) information on the geographical variation of cohabitation."-- Springer Science Business Media, March 2009