Families Beyond Now: Diversity, Change, and Belonging

What to expect:
Families are more diverse than ever before. Migration, aging, new household forms, and shifting cultural values are reshaping what “family” means across societies. But beyond the big trends, family is also about our everyday lives — who we rely on, who we feel connected to, and how policies and politics shape our possibilities to live together. What does family actually mean?

Our journey together during the Workshop:

• Kick-off with stories & trends: we will begin with a short input highlighting key global trends from our current research and why family matters in today’s world.
• Get involved: through interactive elements, you’ll be invited to share your own ideas and reflections: Who counts as family? How should societies adapt to growing family diversity?
• Imagine and share the future: together, we’ll brainstorm what families might look like in 2050 and beyond. Using a shared visual board, all participants will create a collective “map of future families.”

Why join:
This workshop is not a lecture but a space for exchange and participation. You’ll connect your own experiences with wider social questions, discover surprising perspectives, and help imagine inclusive futures for families across borders and generations.

Any participants are welcome: researchers, science communicators, curious and socially engaged adults of the public, families and young audiences.

This workshop is organised by the Einstein Center Population Diversity.

Focusing on Grand Challenges – a workshop in cooperation between Berlin Science Week × Berlin University Alliance.