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Fertility and union formation during crisis and societal consolidation in the Western Balkans

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  • Mathias Lerch

Abstract

Fertility decline in central and eastern Europe (CEE) since the fall of the communist regimes has been driven by both stopping and postponement of childbearing: two processes that have been related to crisis and economic development, respectively. In the Western Balkans these economic and political contexts followed each other in the form of a biphasic transition. I examine whether this sequence triggered fertility responses like those observed elsewhere. Relying on three independent data sources, I cross-validate the levels of, and describe the trends in, union formation and fertility (by birth order) between 1980 and 2010. Results do not reveal widespread declines in fertility to lowest-low levels during the most acute period of crisis. The subsequent postponement of marriage and first birth was also limited, and the two-child family remains the norm. This relative resilience of childbearing patterns compared with other CEE countries is discussed with reference to the institutional context.

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  • Mathias Lerch, 2018. "Fertility and union formation during crisis and societal consolidation in the Western Balkans," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 72(2), pages 217-234, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpstxx:v:72:y:2018:i:2:p:217-234
    DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2017.1412492
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    Cited by:

    1. Serhii Maksymovych & William Appleman & Zurab Abramishvili, 2023. "Parental gender preference in the Balkans and Scandinavia: gender bias or differential costs?," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1-48, December.
    2. Orsola Torrisi, 2020. "Armed Conflict and the Timing of Childbearing in Azerbaijan," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(3), pages 501-556, September.

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