Falling Fertility and Rising Social Inequalities

For almost a decade, Norway and the other Nordic countries have experienced falling fertility. We aim to unpack the underlying mechanisms behind the falling fertility trend and the rising fertility inequalities in the younger generations. First, we ask why fertility is falling and why the young generation is more reluctant to have children than previous generations. We will investigate how labor market changes and economic (in-)security are associated with fertility. We argue that changes in the labor market and increasing economic uncertainty might influence fertility. We aim to assess how perceived economic uncertainty and concerns about the future influence peoples decisions about fertility and which factors in the labor market are a threat to fertility and which are becoming a prerequisite for high fertility. Second, we ask why social inequalities in fertility is rising. The social gradient of female fertility has rapidly changed in the recent years to a pattern that increasingly resemble male patterns of fertility inequality, including higher level of childlessness among the low educated. We aim to assess how unequal fertility patterns emerge in the interplay between new gender roles and social groups, and thus challenge existing theories on gender and social inequality in order to develop new theoretical frameworks. So far, we have participated in the international survey «The Generations and Gender Survey» which was conducted in November 2020. This survey will be used to analyze research questions for this project. We have participated in the public debate with an opinion piece about fertility level in Norway where we argue that the aim should not be that there being born many children. Academic articles on how fertility is interlinked with economic recessions and parental leave have been published. Here we find that the Nordic countries responded in similar ways in their fertility pattern after the great recession in 2008 compared to the one in the 1990s. Web: https://www.sv.uio.no/iss/english/research/projects/Falling%20Fertility%20and%20Social%20Inequalities/

For almost a decade, Norway and the other Nordic countries have experienced falling fertility. We aim to unpack the underlying mechanisms behind the falling fertility trend and the rising fertility inequalities in the younger generations. We both provide in-depth analysis of Norway and Nordic/European comparative analyses. First, we ask why fertility is falling and why the young generation is more reluctant to have children than previous generations. We will investigate how labor market changes and economic (in-)security are associated with fertility. We argue that changes in the labor market and increasing economic uncertainty might influence fertility. In addition, globalization, modern media and new digital technology bring the world closer together. Thus, nowadays, fertility decisions are more embedded in global developments, including economic, political and cultural uncertainty, and anxiety for the consequences of climate changes. We aim to assess how perceived economic uncertainty and concerns about the future influence peoples decisions about fertility and which factors in the labor market are a threat to fertility and which are becoming a prerequisite for high fertility. Second, we ask why social inequalities in fertility is rising. The social gradient of female fertility has rapidly changed in the recent years to a pattern that increasingly resemble male patterns of fertility inequality, including higher level of childlessness among the low educated. Thus, we ask whether the general achievements in gender equality and the outline of family policies are custom-made for well-educated middle-class families, practicing a dual breadwinner-model, while other socio-economic groups may struggle to realize their fertility plans. We aim to assess how unequal fertility patterns emerge in the interplay between new gender roles and social groups, and thus challenge existing theories on gender and social inequality in order to develop new theoretical frameworks.