IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/eurpop/v20y2004i4d10.1007_s10680-004-4095-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Uncertainty and the Second Space: Modern Birth Timing and the Dilemma of Education

Author

Listed:
  • Jennifer Johnson-Hanks

    (University of California Berkeley)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the relationship between experiential and statistical uncertainties in the timing of births in Cameroon (Central Africa). Most theories of fertility level and change emphasize the emergence of parity-specific control, treating desired family size as both central, and stable across the life course. By contrast, this paper argues for a theory of reproduction that emphasizes process, social context, and contingency. The paper concentrates on the second birth interval, showing that it is longer and more variable among educated than among uneducated women. The paper argues that this difference is due to the specific forms of uncertainty associated with education in contemporary Cameroon.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer Johnson-Hanks, 2004. "Uncertainty and the Second Space: Modern Birth Timing and the Dilemma of Education," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 20(4), pages 351-373, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:20:y:2004:i:4:d:10.1007_s10680-004-4095-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-004-4095-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10680-004-4095-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10680-004-4095-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karen Mason, 1997. "Explaining fertility transitions," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(4), pages 443-454, November.
    2. Lei Li & Minja Choe, 1997. "A mixture model for duration data: Analysis of second births in China," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(2), pages 189-197, May.
    3. S. Morgan, 1981. "Intention and uncertainty at later stages of childbearing: the united states 1965 and 1970," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 18(3), pages 267-285, August.
    4. John Wilmoth & Shiro Horiuchi, 1999. "Rectangularization revisited: Variability of age at death within human populations," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 36(4), pages 475-495, November.
    5. Hans-Peter Kohler, 1997. "Learning in social networks and contraceptive choice," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(3), pages 369-383, August.
    6. Aenaida R. Ravanera & Fernando Rajulton & Thomas K. Burch, 1998. "Early Life Transitions of Canadian Women: A Cohort Analysis of Timing, Sequences, and Variations," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 179-204, June.
    7. repec:cai:poeine:pope_302_0153 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Easterlin, Richard A. & Crimmins, Eileen M., 1985. "The Fertility Revolution," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226180298, October.
    9. Susan Cotts Watkins, 2000. "Local and Foreign Models of Reproduction in Nyanza Province, Kenya," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(4), pages 725-759, December.
    10. Joseph E. Potter, 1999. "The Persistence of Outmoded Contraceptive Regimes: The Cases of Mexico and Brazil," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 25(4), pages 703-739, December.
    11. James Trussell & Linda Martin & Robert Feldman & James Palmore & Mercedes Concepcion & Datin Abu Bakar, 1985. "Determinants of birth-interval length in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia: a hazard-model Analysis," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 22(2), pages 145-168, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Daniela Bellani & Bruno Arpino, 2021. "Risk aversion and fertility. Evidence from a lottery question in Italy," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_02, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    2. Ian M. Timæus & Tom A. Moultrie, 2008. "On Postponement and Birth Intervals," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 34(3), pages 483-510, September.
    3. Cao, Shixiong & Wang, Xiuqing, 2010. "Unsustainably low birth rates: A potential crisis leading to loss of racial and cultural diversity in China," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 159-162, January.
    4. Letícia J. Marteleto & Gilvan Guedes & Raquel Z. Coutinho & Abigail Weitzman, 2020. "Live Births and Fertility Amid the Zika Epidemic in Brazil," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(3), pages 843-872, June.
    5. Laura Bernardi & Andreas Klärner & Holger von der Lippe, 2006. "Perceptions of job instability and the prospects of parenthood. A comparison between Eastern and Western Germany," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2006-017, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    6. Jungho Kim, 2010. "Women's Education and Fertility: An Analysis of the Relationship between Education and Birth Spacing in Indonesia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(4), pages 739-774, July.
    7. Sarah R. Hayford & Victor Agadjanian, 2019. "Spacing, Stopping, or Postponing? Fertility Desires in a Sub-Saharan Setting," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(2), pages 573-594, April.
    8. Laura Bernardi & Andreas Klärner & Holger Lippe, 2008. "Job Insecurity and the Timing of Parenthood: A Comparison between Eastern and Western Germany," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 24(3), pages 287-313, September.
    9. Ian M. Timæus & Tom A. Moultrie, 2020. "Pathways to Low Fertility: 50 Years of Limitation, Curtailment, and Postponement of Childbearing," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 267-296, February.
    10. Francesco Billari & Valentina Rotondi & Jenny Trinitapoli, 2020. "Mobile phones, digital inequality, and fertility: Longitudinal evidence from Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(37), pages 1057-1096.
    11. Sarah Walters, 2016. "Counting Souls," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(3), pages 63-108.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sara Yeatman & Jenny Trinitapoli, 2008. "Beyond denomination: The relationship between religion and family planning in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(55), pages 1851-1882.
    2. Arland Thornton & Rachael Pierotti & Linda Young-DeMarco & Susan Watkins, 2014. "Developmental Idealism and Cultural Models of the Family in Malawi," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(5), pages 693-716, October.
    3. Julia Behrman, 2015. "Does Schooling Affect Women’s Desired Fertility? Evidence From Malawi, Uganda, and Ethiopia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(3), pages 787-809, June.
    4. Courgeau, Daniel, 2007. "Multilevel synthesis. From the group to the individual," MPRA Paper 43189, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Abdullah, Muhammad & Chani, Muhammad Irfan & Ali, Amjad & Shoukat, Ayza, 2013. "Co-Integration Between Fertility and Human Development Indicators: Evidence from Pakistan," MPRA Paper 49134, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Marco Breschi & Massimo Esposito & Stanislao Mazzoni & Lucia Pozzi, 2014. "Fertility transition and social stratification in the town of Alghero, Sardinia (1866-1935)," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(28), pages 823-852.
    7. Christine Bachrach, 2014. "Culture and Demography: From Reluctant Bedfellows to Committed Partners," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(1), pages 3-25, February.
    8. Thomas K. LeGrand & Magali Barbieri, 2002. "The Possible Effects of Child Survival on Women's Ages at First Union and Childbirth in Sub-Saharan Africa," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 361-386, December.
    9. Hannaliis Jaadla & Alice Reid & Eilidh Garrett & Kevin Schürer & Joseph Day, 2020. "Revisiting the Fertility Transition in England and Wales: The Role of Social Class and Migration," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(4), pages 1543-1569, August.
    10. Yoko Nakagaki, 2018. "Inverse J-Shaped Relationship between Fertility and Gender Equality: Different Relationships of the Two Variables According to Income Levels," Working Papers 165, JICA Research Institute.
    11. Ediev, Dalkhat M. & Sanderson, Warren C. & Scherbov, Sergei, 2019. "The inverse relationship between life expectancy-induced changes in the old-age dependency ratio and the prospective old-age dependency ratio," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 1-10.
    12. Henrik Brønnum-Hansen & Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos Espiñeira & Camila Perera & Ingelise Andersen, 2023. "Trends in mortality patterns in two countries with different welfare models: comparisons between Cuba and Denmark 1955–2020," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 1-28, June.
    13. Jon Anson, 2010. "Beyond Material Explanations: Family Solidarity and Mortality, a Small Area‐level Analysis," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 36(1), pages 27-45, March.
    14. Michael R. Haines & Avery M. Guest, 2010. "Fertility in New York State in the Civil War Era," NBER Working Papers 16135, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Oscar E Fernandez & Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez, 2022. "Life span inequality as a function of the moments of the deaths distribution: Connections and insights," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, January.
    16. David Lam, 2011. "How the World Survived the Population Bomb: Lessons From 50 Years of Extraordinary Demographic History," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(4), pages 1231-1262, November.
    17. Duncan Gillespie & Meredith Trotter & Shripad Tuljapurkar, 2014. "Divergence in Age Patterns of Mortality Change Drives International Divergence in Lifespan Inequality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(3), pages 1003-1017, June.
    18. Patrick Hamm & David Stuckler & Lawrence King, 2006. "Mass Privatization and the Postcommunist Mortality Crisis," Working Papers wp118, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    19. Chenoa A. Flippen & Rebecca A. Schut, 2022. "Migration and Contraception among Mexican Women: Assessing Selection, Disruption, and Adaptation," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(2), pages 495-520, April.
    20. Hui Zheng, 2014. "Aging in the Context of Cohort Evolution and Mortality Selection," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(4), pages 1295-1317, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:20:y:2004:i:4:d:10.1007_s10680-004-4095-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.