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Family migration in a cross-national perspective: The importance of institutional and cultural context

Author

Listed:
  • Sergi Vidal

    (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics (CED))

  • Francisco Perales

    (University of Queensland)

  • Philipp M. Lersch

    (Universität zu Köln)

  • Maria Brandén

    (Linköpings Universitet)

Abstract

Objective: Migration rates of dual-earner couples are lower than those of male-breadwinner couples. We revisit this issue using a cross-national comparative perspective and examine heterogeneity in the role of female employment in couple relocations. We propose a theoretical framework in which national levels of support for female employment and normative expectations about gender roles act as moderators of the relationship between couple type (i.e., dual-earner and male-breadwinner) and family migration. Methods: We deploy discrete-time event history analyses of harmonised longitudinal data from four large-scale datasets from Australia, Britain, Germany, and Sweden, covering the 1992-2011 period. Results: Consistent with prior research, we find that male-breadwinner couples migrate more often than dual-earner couples in all countries, suggesting that traditional gender structures affecting family migration operate across very different contexts. We also find cross-country differences in the estimated effects of different sorts of absolute and relative partner resources on family migration. Conclusions: We take our results as preliminary evidence that national contexts can serve as moderators of the relationship between within-couple employment arrangements and family migration decisions. Contribution: Our study contributes to family migration literature by illustrating how cross-national comparisons are a valuable methodological approach to put prevailing micro-level explanations of the relationship between female employment and family migration in context.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergi Vidal & Francisco Perales & Philipp M. Lersch & Maria Brandén, 2017. "Family migration in a cross-national perspective: The importance of institutional and cultural context," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(10), pages 307-338.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:36:y:2017:i:10
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2017.36.10
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sergi Vidal & Philipp M. Lersch, 2019. "Changes in gender role attitudes following couples' residential relocations," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(39), pages 1111-1152.
    2. Stefanie Kley & Sonja Drobnič, 2019. "Does moving for family nest-building inhibit mothers' labour force (re-)entry?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(7), pages 155-184.
    3. Dean R. Lillard, 2021. "Cross‐National Research: Realised and Potential Contributions," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 542-553, December.
    4. Jani Turunen & Maria Brandén & Karin Lundström, 2023. "Geographical distance between child and parent after a union dissolution in Sweden, 1974–2011," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(17), pages 439-482.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    family migration; cross-national comparison; female employment; event history analysis; institutional context; dual-earner couples;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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