Skip to main content

Low Second Birth Rates in Eastern and Southern Europe: Interactions between Economic Uncertainty and Norms about Parenthood

  • Chapter
  • 328 Accesses

Abstract

Opportunities and constraints for young adult people in the labour market are strongly affected by their childrearing responsibilities, which are, in turn, a product of their fertility. Given the unequal gender division of labour in childcare and household chores, this holds for women in particular. At the same time, economic welfare is strongly affected by labour market activity, and economic welfare strongly affects opportunities and constraints for family life, including childrearing. An insight into the relationship between economic uncertainty and childbearing is, therefore, also relevant for understanding labour market dynamics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adsera, A. (2005) ‘Where Are the Babies? Labor Market Conditions and Fertility in Europe’, IZA Discussion Papers (Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labour).

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, G. S. (1981) A Treatise on the Family (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernardi, L., Klärner, A. and von der Lippe, H. (2008) ‘Job Insecurity and the Timing of Parenthood: A Comparison between Eastern and Western Germany’, European Journal of Population, 24 (3), 287–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt, E. and Goldscheider, F. (2006) ‘Gender Equality, Parenthood Attitudes, and First Births in Sweden’, Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, 4, 19–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billari, F. C. and Kohler, H.-P. (2004) ‘Patterns of Low and Lowest-Low Fertility in Europe’, Population Studies, 58 (2), 161–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billingsley, S. (2011) ‘Second and Third Births in Armenia and Moldova: An Economic Perspective of Recent Behaviour and Current Preferences’, European Journal of Population, 27 (2), 125–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breton, D. and Prioux, F. (2005) ‘Two Children or Three? Influence of Family Policy and Sociodemographic Factors’, Population-E, 60 (4), 415–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breton, D. and Prioux, F. (2009) ‘The One-Child Family: France in the European Context’, Demographic Research, 20 (27), 657–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caltabiano, M., Castiglioni, M. and Rosina, A. (2009) ‘Lowest-Low Fertility: Signs of a Recovery in Italy?’ Demographic Research, 21 (23), 681–718.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chesnais, J. C. (1996) ‘Fertility, Family, and Social Policy in Contemporary Western Europe’, Population and Development Review, 22 (4), 729–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalla Zuanna, G. and Micheli, G. A. (2004) ‘New Perspectives in Interpreting Contemporary Family and Reproductive Behaviour of Mediterranean Europe’ in G. Dalla Zuanna and G. A. Micheli (eds) Strong Family and Low Fertility: A Paradox? New Perspectives in Interpreting Contemporary Family and Reproductive Behaviour (Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers), pp. 7–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Del Boca, D., Pasqua, S. and Pronzato, C. (2008) ‘Market Work and Motherhood Decisions in Contexts’, IZA Discussion Papers (Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labour).

    Google Scholar 

  • Esping-Andersen, G. (2007) ‘Introduction. The Contemporary Fertility Puzzle’, Family Formation and Family Dilemmas in Contemporary Europe (Madrid: Fundación BBVA), pp. 13–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • ESS (2006) ‘ESS Round 3: European Social Survey Round 3 Data. Data File Edition 3.2’, Norwegian Social Science Data Services, Norway — Data Archive and Distributor of ESS Data.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frejka, T. and Ross, J. (2001) ‘Paths to Subreplacement Fertility: The Empirical Evidence’, Population and Development Review, 27, 213–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, D., Hechter, M. and Kanazawa, S. (1994) ‘A Theory of the Value of Children’, Demography, 31 (3), 375–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, D., Hechter, M. and Kanazawa, S. (1999) ‘Theories of the Value of Children: A New Approach’, in R. Leete (ed.) Dynamics of Values in Fertility Change (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 19–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, J., Lutz, W. and Testa, M. R. (2003) ‘The Emergence of Sub-Replacement Family Size Ideals in Europe’, Population Research and Policy Review, 22 (5–6), 479–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, J., Sobotka, T. and Jasilioniene, A. (2009) ‘The End of “lowest-low” Fertility’, Population and Development Review, 24 (4), 663–700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jowell, R., Roberts, C., Fitzgerald, R. and Eva, G. (2007) Measuring Attitudes Cross-Nationally. Lessons from the European Social Survey (Los Angeles, London: Sage).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohler, H. P., Billari, F. C. and Ortega, J. A. (2002) ‘The Emergence of Lowest-Low Fertility in Europe during the 1990s’, Population and Development Review, 28 (4), 641–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohler, H. P., Billari, F. C. and Ortega, J. A. (2006) ‘Low Fertility in Europe: Causes, Implications and Policy Options’ in F. R. Harris (ed.) The Baby Bust: Who Will Do the Work? Who Will Pay the Taxes (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers), pp. 48–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotowska, I., Jozwiak, J., Matysiak, A. and Baranowska, A. (2008) ‘Poland: Fertility Decline as a Response to Profound Societal and Labour Market Changes?’ Demographic Research, 19 (22), 795–854.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotowska, I. E. and Matysiak, A. (2008) ‘Reconciliation of Work and Family under Different Institutional Settings’ in C. Höhn, D. Avramov and I. E. Kotowska (eds) People, Population Change and Policies, Volume 1: Family Change (The Hague: Springer Science and Business Media), pp. 327–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leibenstein, H. (1975) ‘Economic Theory of Fertility Decline’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 89 (1), 1–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livi-Bacci, M. (2001) ‘Too Few Children and Too Much Family’, Daedalus, 130 (3), 139–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Micheli, G. A. and Bernardi, L. (2003) ‘Two Theoretical Interpretations of the Dissonance between Fertility Intentions and Behaviour’, MPIDR Working Paper (Rostock: Max-Planck Institute for Demographic Research).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, M. (2011) Introducing Survival and Event History Analysis (London: Sage).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, M. and Blossfeld, H.-P. (2005) ‘Globalization, Uncertainty and the Early Life Course. A Theoretical Framework’ in H.-P. Blossfeld, E. Klijzing, M. Mills and K. Kurz (eds) Globalization, Uncertainty and Youth in Society (London, New York: Routledge, Globalife), pp. 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishtal, J. Z. (2009) ‘Understanding Low Fertility in Poland: Demographic Consequences of Gendered Discrimination in Employment and Postsocialist Neoliberal Restructuring’, Demographic Research, 21, 599–626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, S. P. and King, R. B. (2001) ‘Why Have Children in the 21st Century? Biological Predisposition, Social Coercion, Rational Choice’, European Journal of Population, 17, 3–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, S. P. and Taylor, M. G. (2006) ‘Low Fertility at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century’, Annual Review of Sociology, 32, 375–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myrskylä, M., Kohler, H.-P. and Billari, F. C. (2009) ‘Advances in Development Reverse Fertility Declines’, Nature, 460 (6 August), 741–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philipov, D. (2002) ‘Fertility in Times of Discontinuous Social Change: The Case of Central and Eastern Europe’, MPIDR Working Paper, 2002–024 (Rostock: Max-Planck Institute for Demographic Research).

    Google Scholar 

  • Philipov, D., Spéder, Z. and Billari, F. C. (2006) ‘Soon, Later, or Ever? The Impact of Anomie and Social Capital on Fertility Intentions in Bulgaria (2002) and Hungary (2001)’, Population Studies, 60 (3), 289–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinnelli, A. (1995) ‘Women’s Conditions, Low Fertility, and Emerging Union Patterns in Europe’ in K. O. Mason and A. M. Jensen (eds) Gender and Family Change in Industrialised Countries (Oxford: Clarendon Press), pp. 82–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, S. H. (1986) ‘Changing Values and Falling Birth Rates’ in K. Davis., M. S. Bernstram and R. Ricardo-Campbell (eds) Below-Replacement Fertility in Industrial Societies. Causes, Consequences, Policies Population and Development Review. A Supplement to Volume 12 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 176–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reher, D. S. (1998) ‘Family Ties in Western Europe: Persistent Contrasts’, Population and Development Review, 24, 203–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosina, A. (2004) ‘Family Formation in Italy: A Cohort Approach’ in G. Dalla Zuanna and G. A. Micheli (eds) Strong Family and Low Fertility: A Paradox? (Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers), pp. 23–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rózańska-Putek, J., Jappens, M., Willaert, D. and Van Bavel, J. (2009) ‘Recoding the Regions of the European Social Survey into the NUTS1 Regional Classification. Illustration: Regional Indicators of Intergenerational Solidarity’, ID Working Paper, 2009–6 (Brussel: Interface Demography, VUB).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sobotka, T. (2003) ‘Re-emerging Diversity. Rapid Fertility Changes in Central and Eastern Europe after the Collapse of the Communist Regimes’, Population, 58 (4/5), 451–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobotka, T. (2004) Postponement of Childbearing and Low Fertility in Europe (Groningen, Amsterdam: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Dutch University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sobotka, T. (2008) ‘Does Persistent Low Fertility Threaten the Future of European Populations?’ in J. Surkyn, P. Deboosere and J. Van Bavel (eds) Demographic Challenges for the 21st Century. A State of the Art in Demography (Brussel: VUB, Academia Press), pp. 27–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sobotka, T. (2009) ‘Subreplacement Fertility Intentions in Austria’, European Journal of Population, 25 (4), 387–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobotka, T., Zeman, K. and Kantorová, V. (2003) ‘Demographic Shifts in the Czech Republic after 1989: A Second Demographic Transition View’, European Journal of Population/Revue européenne de Démographie, 19 (3), 249–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Bavel, J. and Nitsche, N. (2013) ‘The Proper Age for Parenthood and Second Birth Rates in Europe’, European Sociological Review, available at: 10.1093/esr/jct003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Bavel, J. and Różańska-Putek, J. (2010) ‘Second Birth Rates across Europe: Interactions between Women’s Level of Education and Child Care Enrolment’, Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, 8, 107–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voicu, M., Voicu, B. and Strapcova, K. (2009) ‘Housework and Gender Inequality in European Countries’, European Sociological Review, 25 (3), 349–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2016 Jan Van Bavel and Joanna Rózańska-Putek

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Van Bavel, J., Rózańska-Putek, J. (2016). Low Second Birth Rates in Eastern and Southern Europe: Interactions between Economic Uncertainty and Norms about Parenthood. In: Roosalu, T., Hofäcker, D. (eds) Rethinking Gender, Work and Care in a New Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137371096_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137371096_4

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-349-57128-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-37109-6

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics