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Should governments in Europe be more aggressive in pushing for gender equality to raise fertility? The first "NO"

Author

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  • Dimiter Philipov

    (Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital (IIASA, OeAW, University of Vienna))

Abstract

This paper takes the "no" side in the debate on the question posed in the title. The paper assumes that the dual-earner/dual-carer household model is the most likely aim of policies that push aggressively for gender equality in order to raise fertility. Five objections are discussed: the model does not necessarily lead to a fertility increase; aggressiveness will lead to an imbalance of labor supply and demand, and is likely to confront slowly changing cultural norms; similar policies will also confront the issue of innate gender differences; and country idiosyncrasies prevent the application of a unified policy approach. The paper briefly concludes that compatible gender-neutral family policies and fertility-neutral gender policies are likely to lead to an increase in fertility.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimiter Philipov, 2011. "Should governments in Europe be more aggressive in pushing for gender equality to raise fertility? The first "NO"," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 24(8), pages 201-216.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:24:y:2011:i:8
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.8
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ariane Pailhé & Clémentine Rossier & Laurent Toulemon, 2008. "French family policy: long tradition and diversified measures," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 6(1), pages 149-164.
    2. Caroline Foster, 2000. "The Limits to Low Fertility: A Biosocial Approach," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(2), pages 209-234, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerda Neyer & Trude Lappegård & Daniele Vignoli, 2013. "Gender Equality and Fertility: Which Equality Matters?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 29(3), pages 245-272, August.
    2. Tao, Hung-Lin, 2020. "Gender-role ideology and height preference in mate selection," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

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

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