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Ethnicity and Fertility in the United Kingdom

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Ethnicity and Integration

Part of the book series: Understanding Population Trends and Processes ((UPTA,volume 3))

Abstract

Ethnic diversity of the contemporary UK population is reflected in fertility differences and this chapter presents recent trends in the level and timing at childbearing of women of the various ethnic groups identified in the UK. Labour Force Survey data and recently refined Own Children method are used to produce improved fertility estimates using the most detailed ethnic classification available since 2001. Data provide evidence for overall converging trends across ethnic groups, although at various pace and not for all groups. Potential causes of fertility variablity and future expectations are discussed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    With the growing proportion of UK-born descendants of immigrants, the country of birth has become an increasingly inaccurate proxy for analysing the ethnic composition of the population of the UK.

  2. 2.

    In 2005, 89% of births in England and Wales were recorded with an ethnicity according to a study by Moser et al. (2008).

  3. 3.

    In recent years, the immigration of Indian students appears to have increased significantly, however (Vertovec, 2007).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, Grant RES-163-25-0049 and the authors are thankful to David Coleman for his collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK

    Sylvie Dubuc & John Haskey

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  1. Sylvie Dubuc
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  2. John Haskey
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Correspondence to Sylvie Dubuc .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Fac. Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

    John Stillwell

  2. School of Social Sciences, Centre for Census & Survey Res. (CCSR), University of Manchester, Humanities Bridgeford St., Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom

    Maarten van Ham

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Dubuc, S., Haskey, J. (2010). Ethnicity and Fertility in the United Kingdom. In: Stillwell, J., van Ham, M. (eds) Ethnicity and Integration. Understanding Population Trends and Processes, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9103-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9103-1_4

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