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Consequences of family policies on childbearing behavior: effects or artifacts?

Author

Listed:
  • Gerda R. Neyer

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Gunnar Andersson

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

Abstract

This paper argues that theoretical and methodological aspects account for the ambiguous results of investigations into the effects of family policies on fertility. Theoretically we employ approaches of comparative welfare-state research, of the sociology of “constructed categories”, and of the “new institutionalism” to demonstrate that investigations into the effects of policies on fertility need to contextualize policies and reduce their complexities by focusing on “critical junctures”, “space”, and “usage”. As regards methods we argue that the policy effects can only be assessed properly if we study the impact of policies on individual behavior, event-history models applied to individual-level data being the state-of-theart of such an approach. We present studies on the impact of family policies on Swedish childbearing behavior to demonstrate that an analytical and methodological approach as we advocate prevents us from drawing misleading conclusions about the effects of family policies on childbearing and fertility.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerda R. Neyer & Gunnar Andersson, 2007. "Consequences of family policies on childbearing behavior: effects or artifacts?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-021, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2007-021
    DOI: 10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2007-021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter McDonald, 2000. "Gender Equity in Theories of Fertility Transition," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(3), pages 427-439, September.
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    5. Gerda R. Neyer & Gunnar Andersson & Jan M. Hoem & Marit Rønsen & Andres Vikat, 2006. "Fertilität, Familiengründung und Familienerweiterung in den nordischen Ländern," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2006-022, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    6. Gunnar Andersson & Kirk Scott, 2007. "Childbearing dynamics of couples in a universalistic welfare state: the role of labor-market status, country of origin, and gender," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-016, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    7. Gunnar Andersson & Jan M. Hoem & Ann-Zofie Duvander, 2006. "Social differentials in speed-premium effects in childbearing in Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 14(4), pages 51-70.
    8. Esping-Andersen, Gosta, 1999. "Social Foundations of Postindustrial Economies," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198742005.
    9. Neyer, Gerda, 2003. "Family Policies and Low Fertility in Western Europe," Discussion Paper 161, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Jan M. Hoem & Alexia Prskawetz & Gerda R. Neyer, 2001. "Autonomy or conservative adjustment? The effect of public policies and educational attainment on third births in Austria," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2001-016, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    11. Gunnar Andersson & Kirk Scott, 2007. "Childbearing dynamics of couples in a universalistic welfare state," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(30), pages 897-938.
    12. Gerda R. Neyer, 2003. "Gender and generations dimensions in welfare-state policies," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2003-022, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    13. Linda Haas, 2003. "Parental Leave and Gender Equality: Lessons from the European Union," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 20(1), pages 89-114, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hill Kulu & Nadja Milewski, 2007. "Family change and migration in the life course," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(19), pages 567-590.
    2. Theodore P. Gerber & Brienna Perelli-Harris, 2009. "Maternity leave in turbulent times: effects on labor market transitions and fertility in Russia, 1985-2000," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2009-028, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    3. Brienna Perelli-Harris & Michaela R. Kreyenfeld & Wendy Sigle-Rushton & Renske Keizer & Trude Lappegård & Aiva Jasilioniene & Caroline Berghammer & Paola Di Giulio & Katja Köppen, 2009. "The increase in fertility in cohabitation across Europe: examining the intersection between union status and childbearing," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2009-021, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    4. H. Kulu & P. J. Boyle, 2009. "High Fertility in City Suburbs: Compositional or Contextual Effects?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 25(2), pages 157-174, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Europe; family; fertility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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