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High fertility Gambians in low fertility Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Caroline H. Bledsoe

    (Northwestern University)

  • René Houle

    (University of New Brunswick)

  • Papa Sow

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

Abstract

Based on an analysis of the Spanish census and the January 1, 2005 municipal register and on exploratory fieldwork in Catalonia, this paper combines ethnography and demography, in conjunction with current Spanish reunification law, to examine the dynamics of what appears to be high fertility among Gambian immigrants living in Spain. We suggest that this high fertility rate reflects several things. One is the high costs of living in Spain for an unskilled, often-undocumented, but also relatively-longstanding SubSaharan group from a homeland with high rates of fertility: a homeland with which close ties remain vital for migrants in highly marginal conditions. Another is the replacement, in some cases, of older wives by younger ones from Africa, resulting in high rates of reproduction for short slices of time by a circulating pool of young women. We focus, however, on the role of Spanish and European policies themselves in shaping these numbers, particularly those policies that place restrictions on the free movement of people. We conclude that the most interesting demographic facet of this population may not be high fertility but rather the paradoxical dynamics of child accumulation in particular geographic regions as an artifact of Spanish law itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline H. Bledsoe & René Houle & Papa Sow, 2007. "High fertility Gambians in low fertility Spain," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 16(12), pages 375-412.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:16:y:2007:i:12
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2007.16.12
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caroline H. Bledsoe, 2004. "Reproduction at the Margins: Migration and Legitimacy in the New Europe," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 3(4), pages 87-116.
    2. repec:cai:poeine:pope_306_0717 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Sargent, Carolyn & Cordell, Dennis, 2003. "Polygamy, disrupted reproduction, and the state: Malian migrants in Paris, France," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(9), pages 1961-1972, May.
    4. 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.
    5. Richard Lalou & Victor Piché, 2004. "Les migrants face au sida : entre gestion des risques et contrôle social. L'exemple de la vallée du fleuve Sénégal," Population (french edition), Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED), vol. 59(2), pages 233-268.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Eleonora Mussino & Salvatore Strozza, 2012. "The fertility of immigrants after arrival: The Italian case," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 26(4), pages 99-130.
    2. Laura Bernardi & Inge Hutter, 2007. "The anthropological demography of Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(18), pages 541-566.
    3. Caroline Bledsoe & Papa Sow, 2008. "Family reunification ideals and the practice of transnational reproductive life among Africans in Europe," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2008-001, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    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. Nadja Milewski, 2007. "First child of immigrant workers and their descendants in West Germany," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(29), pages 859-896.
    6. Patience Afulani & Joseph Asunka, 2015. "Socialization, Adaptation, Transnationalism, and the Reproductive Behavior of Sub-Saharan African Migrants in France," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 34(4), pages 561-592, August.
    7. Elisabeth K. Kraus & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2023. "Fertility Differences Between Migrants and Stayers in a Polygamous Context: Evidence from Senegal," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 137-164, March.
    8. Francesca Decimo, 2021. "The Transnational Making of Population: Migration, Marriage and Fertility Between Morocco and Italy," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 289-310, March.
    9. Katharina Wolf, 2014. "Fertility of Turkish migrants in Germany: duration of stay matters," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2014-001, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fertility; migration; Spain; anthropology; law; West Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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