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Economic Growth or Survival? The Problematic Case of Child Mortality in Turkey

Author

Listed:
  • Cem Behar

    (Institut national d'études démographiques)

  • Youssef Courbage

    (Institut national d'études démographiques)

  • Akile Gürsoy

    (Institut national d'études démographiques)

Abstract

Turkey is a country which is demographically unclassifiable because its persistently high infant mortality is out of line with its socio-economic indicators and its low fertility. The rapid modernisation of Turkey over the last three decades, which might have been expected to have had a favourable effect upon infant survival, has not in this respect lived up to expectation. The stresses resulting from economic growth and the high level of female workforce participation have perhaps tended to distract women from child care. Also, neither Ottoman nor republican Turkish traditions have encouraged an enhancement of the status of childhood. Unconventional sources: ethnology, literature, cinema, are deployed here to construct an impression of the cultural environment of the mothers, fathers and families of dead children. Change of attitudes, very slow as far as childhood is concerned, have not yet caught up with the transition in fertility. An infant mortality rate of 53 per 1000, accompanying a total fertility rate scarcely higher than 2, is a combination difficult to find anywhere else.

Suggested Citation

  • Cem Behar & Youssef Courbage & Akile Gürsoy, 1999. "Economic Growth or Survival? The Problematic Case of Child Mortality in Turkey," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 241-278, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:15:y:1999:i:3:d:10.1023_a:1006273128242
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1006273128242
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aksit, Belma & Aksit, Bahattin, 1989. "Sociocultural determinants of infant and child mortality in Turkey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 571-576, January.
    2. repec:cai:popine:popu_p1994_49n3_0724 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Pritchett, Lant H. & DEC, 1994. "Desired fertility and the impact of population policies," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1273, The World Bank.
    4. repec:cai:popine:popu_p1995_50n3_0620 is not listed on IDEAS
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