The Contextual Database of the Generations & Gender Programme: Harmonized Data for the Analysis of Demographic Decision-Making

Demographic behaviour is shaped not only by characteristics at the individual level, but also by the context in which individuals are embedded. The Contextual Database of the Generations and Gender Programme (GGP) supports research about the impact of contextual factors on demographic behaviour. It facilitates research on micro-macro links by providing cross-country comparative contextual data on demographic, socio-economic and policy developments, covering up to 60 countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania. Although conceptually linked to the Generations and Gender Survey, it can also be used as contextual data source for the analysis of data from other surveys or to study macro-trends. The GGP-Contextual Database comprises a unique combination of features, with which it might serve as a blue print/platform for future contextual databases of other demographic surveys and/or world regions. This includes providing harmonized cross-country comparative time-series of indicators often including sub-national regional data, policy developments, and a dynamic web environment with innovative functionalities, e.g. in terms of metadata documentation by single data-entry and automatic geo-coding. The paper presents conceptual considerations as well as guidelines for data collection and harmonization.