What’s Mine Is Yours: A Qualitative Study on Private Property Among German Couples

This poster presents findings from a study on property inequality within the intimate lives of couples in Germany. Using Karl Mannheim’s sociology of (tacit) knowledge as a theoretical and methodological backdrop, the study analyzes 47 dyadic interviews with couples employing a qualitative-reconstructive approach. The investigation identifies six distinct collective orientations toward private property, spanning from wealthy couples employing investment-focused strategies, to middle-class couples prioritizing stability or experience-seeking, and onto more marginalized groups adopting either critical consumption perspectives or ad-hoc "muddling through" strategies in the absence of significant property assets. Each orientation is distinctively shaped by factors such as property portfolio, ownership mode, investment and consumption behavior, debt management, property-related relational dynamics, and gendered division of labor. The findings also reveal cohort-specific variations that emphasize a marked generational shift toward more individualized and diversified approaches to managing property in intimate relationships. This not only points to changes in relationship concepts over time, but also to a substantial transformation within the domain of private property, challenging its traditional role and significance in the social structure. By documenting these shifts at the micro-level, the study not only highlights the diverse strategies couples employ to navigate their economic realities but also raises critical questions about the role of property ownership in understanding patterns of social stratification and inequality.