IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/popdev/v50y2024i1p177-210.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rural–Urban Migration and Fertility Ideation in Senegal: Comparing Returned, Current, and Future Migrants to Dakar to Rural Nonmigrants

Author

Listed:
  • Yacine Boujija
  • Simona Bignami
  • John Sandberg

Abstract

In low‐ and middle‐income countries, significant differences in fertility beliefs between rural and urban areas arise from the differential timing and pace of fertility declines. Demographers have long hypothesized about the diffusion of these beliefs and behaviors from urban to rural areas, potentially via temporary rural–urban labor migration. In this paper, we investigate the association between temporary internal migration from rural Senegal to the capital city, Dakar, and differences in the fertility and contraceptive beliefs and preferences of migrants and nonmigrants. We test socialization, selection, and adaptation hypotheses by comparing the fertility ideation of current and returning migrants with that of nonmigrants and future migrants from their place of origin. Our results support selection effects, explaining half of the differences between nonmigrants and migrants. Once selection effects are removed, significant differences remain between nonmigrants and current or returning migrants. These differences are largely explained by two complementary measures of adaptation: years lived in Dakar and the number of ties to residents of that city. The results indicate that adaptation is as important, if not more so than selection in explaining differences between migrants and nonmigrants. This holds true even for returned migrants five years after their last migration spell. Of the two potential adaptation mechanisms explored, the time spent in Dakar generally explained adaptation better than ties to nonmigrants in Dakar. However, our complementary analyses do not rule out the importance of urban networks on fertility, as they contribute to migrant selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Yacine Boujija & Simona Bignami & John Sandberg, 2024. "Rural–Urban Migration and Fertility Ideation in Senegal: Comparing Returned, Current, and Future Migrants to Dakar to Rural Nonmigrants," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 50(1), pages 177-210, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:popdev:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:177-210
    DOI: 10.1111/padr.12609
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12609
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/padr.12609?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jere Behrman & Hans-Peter Kohler & Susan Watkins, 2002. "Social networks and changes in contraceptive use over time: Evidence from a longitudinal study in rural Kenya," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 39(4), pages 713-738, November.
    2. Kate Hampshire, 2002. "Fulani on the Move: Seasonal Economic Migration in the Sahel as a Social Process," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(5), pages 15-36.
    3. Slawa Rokicki & Livia Montana & Günther Fink, 2014. "Impact of Migration on Fertility and Abortion: Evidence From the Household and Welfare Study of Accra," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(6), pages 2229-2254, December.
    4. Emilio Parrado, 2011. "How High is Hispanic/Mexican Fertility in the United States? Immigration and Tempo Considerations," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(3), pages 1059-1080, August.
    5. Filiz Garip, 2008. "Social capital and migration: How do similar resources lead to divergent outcomes?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 45(3), pages 591-617, August.
    6. Guillaume Daudin & Raphaël Franck & Hillel Rapoport, 2019. "Can Internal Migration Foster the Convergence in Regional Fertility Rates? Evidence from 19th Century France," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(620), pages 1618-1692.
    7. Maya Moore & Dennis Wesselbaum, 2023. "Climatic factors as drivers of migration: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2955-2975, April.
    8. Sara Curran & Estela Rivero-Fuentes, 2003. "Engendering migrant networks: The case of Mexican migration," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 40(2), pages 289-307, May.
    9. Hill Kulu & Nadja Milewski & Tina Hannemann & Julia Mikolai, 2019. "A decade of life-course research on fertility of immigrants and their descendants in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(46), pages 1345-1374.
    10. Sara Yeatman & Christie Sennott & Steven Culpepper, 2013. "Young Women’s Dynamic Family Size Preferences in the Context of Transitioning Fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(5), pages 1715-1737, October.
    11. Tomáš Sobotka, 2008. "Overview Chapter 7: The rising importance of migrants for childbearing in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(9), pages 225-248.
    12. Ivy Kodzi & David Johnson & John Casterline, 2010. "Examining the predictive value of fertility preferences among Ghanaian women," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(30), pages 965-984.
    13. Barbara Entwisle & Ronald Rindfuss & David Guilkey & Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Sara Curran & Yothin Sawangdee, 1996. "Community and contraceptive choice in rural Thailand: A case study of Nang Rong," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 33(1), pages 1-11, February.
    14. Hill Kulu, 2005. "Migration and Fertility: Competing Hypotheses Re-examined," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 21(1), pages 51-87, March.
    15. John Sandberg, 2005. "The influence of network mortality experience on nonnumeric response concerning expected family size: Evidence from a Nepalese mountain village," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 42(4), pages 737-756, November.
    16. Valente, Thomas W. & Watkins, Susan C. & Jato, Miriam N. & Van Der Straten, Ariane & Tsitsol, Louis-Philippe M., 1997. "Social network associations with contraceptive use among Cameroonian women in voluntary associations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 45(5), pages 677-687, September.
    17. Livia Ortensi, 2015. "Engendering the fertility-migration nexus: The role of women's migratory patterns in the analysis of fertility after migration," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(53), pages 1435-1468.
    18. Philip Verwimp & Davide Osti & Gudrun Østby, 2020. "Forced Displacement, Migration, and Fertility in Burundi," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(2), pages 287-319, June.
    19. Sorana Toma & Sophie Vause, 2014. "Gender Differences in the Role of Migrant Networks: Comparing Congolese and Senegalese Migration Flows," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 972-997, December.
    20. Sidney Goldstein, 1973. "Interrelations between migration and fertility in Thailand," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 10(2), pages 225-241, May.
    21. Hans-Peter Kohler & Jere Behrman & Susan Watkins, 2001. "The density of social networks and fertility decisions: evidence from south nyanza district, kenya," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(1), pages 43-58, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Marianne Tønnessen & Ben Wilson, 2023. "Visualising Immigrant Fertility -- Profiles of Childbearing and their Implications for Migration Research," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 23-46, March.
    2. Marianne Tønnessen, 2020. "Declined Total Fertility Rate Among Immigrants and the Role of Newly Arrived Women in Norway," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 547-573, July.
    3. Heidi Colleran & Ruth Mace, 2015. "Social network and community level influences on contraceptive use: evidence from rural Poland," Post-Print hal-04313952, HAL.
    4. Bernard Baffour & James Raymer & Ann Evans, 2023. "Recent Trends in Immigrant Fertility in Australia," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 47-67, March.
    5. Gayen, Kaberi & Raeside, Robert, 2010. "Social networks and contraception practice of women in rural Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(9), pages 1584-1592, November.
    6. Nicoletta Balbo & Francesco C. Billari & Melinda Mills, 2013. "Fertility in Advanced Societies: A Review of Research," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 29(1), pages 1-38, February.
    7. Edmonds, Joyce K. & Hruschka, Daniel & Bernard, H. Russell & Sibley, Lynn, 2012. "Women’s social networks and birth attendant decisions: Application of the Network-Episode Model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(3), pages 452-459.
    8. Jere Behrman & Hans-Peter Kohler & Susan C. Watkins, 2003. "Social Networks, HIV/AIDS and Risk Perceptions," PIER Working Paper Archive 03-007, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    9. Allan Puur & Leen Rahnu & Tiit Tammaru, 2023. "Neighbourhoods and Workplaces: Are They Related to the Fertility of Immigrants and Their Descendants? A Register-Based Study of Finland, 1999–2014," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 209-231, March.
    10. Ben Wilson, 2020. "Understanding How Immigrant Fertility Differentials Vary over the Reproductive Life Course," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 465-498, July.
    11. Kabeya Clement Mulamba, 2023. "The role of male partners in modern contraceptive use by women in South Africa: Does space also matter?," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 1-23, June.
    12. Roberto Impicciatore & Giuseppe Gabrielli & Anna Paterno, 2020. "Migrants’ Fertility in Italy: A Comparison Between Origin and Destination," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(4), pages 799-825, September.
    13. Koebe, Till & Aidoo, Theophilus & Kashyap, Ridhi & Leasure, Douglas R. & Rotondi, Valentina & Weber, Ingmar, 2024. "Social capital mediates knowledge gaps in informing sexual and reproductive health behaviours across Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    14. Marianne Tønnessen & Eleonora Mussino, 2020. "Fertility patterns of migrants from low-fertility countries in Norway," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(31), pages 859-874.
    15. Christoph Bühler & Dimiter Philipov, 2005. "Social Capital Related to Fertility: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical Evidence from Bulgaria," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 3(1), pages 53-81.
    16. Paul Mathews & Rebecca Sear, 2013. "Does the kin orientation of a British woman’s social network influence her entry into motherhood?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(11), pages 313-340.
    17. Eder Andres Guarin Rojas & Laura Bernardi & Flurina Schmid, 2018. "First and second births among immigrants and their descendants in Switzerland," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(11), pages 247-286.
    18. Jesús García-Gómez & Emilio Parrado, 2023. "Early Childbearing of Immigrant Women and Their Descendants in Spain," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(4), pages 1-26, August.
    19. Christoph Bühler & Dimiter Philipov, 2005. "Social capital related to fertility: theoretical foundations and empirical evidence from Bulgaria," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2005-016, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    20. Konstantin Kazenin & Vladimir Kozlov, 2023. "Ethnicity and fertility of descendants of rural-to-urban migrants: the case of Daghestan (North Caucasus)," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 69-93, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:bla:popdev:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:177-210. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0098-7921 .

    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.