Love in postmodern era: Contemporary need for intimacy and its consequences for marriage and family

Abstract

Changes in characteristics and frames of population's reproduction encouraged rethingking of the need for intimacy and characteristics of partners' relations. In the paper, starting with the sociological concept of intimacy, standpoints of various authors (Beck, Beck-Gernsheim, Bauman, Giddens, Lash, Lipovetzki) have been presented and analyzed, indicating the conditions of transformation and features of the contemporary need for intimacy and intimate partnerships. Distinguished characteristics of such contemporary partnerships have been tested in generational perspective - through the Millenials 'marriage relations or partnerships and occurrence of grey divorces. Finally, the question of future of marriage and family has been raised.