This book provides new insights into the significant gap that currently
exists between desired and actual fertility in Europe. It examines how
people make decisions about having children and demonstrates how the
macro-level environment affects micro-level decision-making.
Written by an international team of leading demographers and
psychologists, the book presents the theoretical and methodological
developments of a three-year, European Commission-funded project named
REPRO (Reproductive Decision-Making in a Macro-Micro Perspective). It
also provides an overview of the research conducted by REPRO researchers
both during and after the project.
The book examines fertility intentions from quantitative and qualitative
perspectives, demonstrates how the macro-level environment affects
micro-level decision-making, and offers a multi-level analysis of
fertility-related norms across Europe.
Overall, this book offers insight into how people make decisions to have
children, when they are most likely to act on their decisions, and how
different social and policy settings affect their decisions and actions.
It will appeal to researchers, graduate students, and policy advisors
with an interest in fertility, demography, and life-course decision
making.