Ethnic differentials in the timing of family formation: A case study of the complex interaction between ethnicity, socioeconomic level, and marriage market pressure

oleh: Heather Booth

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research 2010-07-01

Deskripsi

Ethnic differentials in the timing of family formation in Fiji cannot be adequately explained by hypotheses commonly used to explain differentials in fertility behaviour, namely the norms, characteristics, minority group and interaction hypotheses. The norms hypothesis explains a large part of the differentials, but socio-economic factors and changing norms are increasingly involved. The interaction hypothesis is partially operational but cannot explain decreasing age at marriage among lower socio-economic groups. A more comprehensive approach incorporates the counterbalancing effects of modernisation and marriage market imbalances arising from fertility transition. This approach also allows for true interactions between norms, socio-economic characteristics and demographic behaviour.