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Fertility as a process of social exchange

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick Heady

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Ethnologische Forschung)

Abstract

By marrying and raising children, parents participate in a system of gift-exchange in which the gifts in question are human lives, and the parties to the exchange are the kinship groups recognised in the society concerned. Fertility reflects the attitudes of prospective parents to their place in the existing system of reproductive exchange, and the relationships of cooperation and authority which it implies - as well as their confidence in the system’s continuing viability. It is shown that this view is compatible with earlier ideas about self-regulating population systems - and that changing economic circumstances are an important source of discrepancy between existing exchange systems and the attitudes and expectations of prospective parents. The discussion is developed with reference to data on European societies, including a case-study from the Alps, and concludes with an assessment of the relevance of the anthropological theory of gift exchange to contemporary fertility patterns in Europe and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Heady, 2007. "Fertility as a process of social exchange," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(16), pages 465-496.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:17:y:2007:i:16
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2007.17.16
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Parry,Jonathan & Bloch,Maurice (ed.), 1989. "Money and the Morality of Exchange," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521365970, September.
    2. Parry,Jonathan & Bloch,Maurice (ed.), 1989. "Money and the Morality of Exchange," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521367745, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christoph Bühler, 2008. "On the structural value of children and its implication on intended fertility in Bulgaria," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 18(20), pages 569-610.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fertility; anthropological demography; second demographic transition; reciprocity; cooperation; homeostatic population regulation; exchange marriage;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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