Differences in Fertility Behaviour among the Farm, Rural and Urban Populations in Slovenia

• Authors: Majda Istenič
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Below replacement fertility in almost all European countries and lowest low fertility in a large part of the continent are significant demographic issues that concern contemporary policy makers and social scientists. Statistical data for Slovenia show that, with the exception of the farm population, all social groups have fertility levels that are below reproduction. This paper attempts to find out which factors are the most accountable for these differences and intends to contribute to broader scientific and public debates about the reasons for very low fertility in the ‘industrialized world’. The results of the analysis based on the survey "Generations and Gender Relationships on Slovenian Farms" (2007) indicate that differences in fertility behaviour among the farm and other parts of the Slovenian population are more related to the structural than cultural characteristics of the people.

Keywords

EN

fertility; farm/rural/urban population; structural/cultural characteristics; Slovenia

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Eastern European Countryside
• Year: 2009
• Volume: 15
• Pages: 61-74

Dates

published

2009-01-01

online

2010-01-25

Contributors

author

Majda Istenič

References

• Barbič, A., ‘(Samo)obnavljanje kmečkega sloja v Sloveniji’ [‘(Self)reproduction of farm strata in Slovenia’], Sodobno kmetijstvo, no. 26, 1993, pp. 209-217.
• Bühler, C. and Philipov, D., ‘Social Capital Related to Fertility: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical Evidence from Bulgaria’, in L. Volfgang and G. Feichtinger (eds.) Vienna Yearbook of Population research, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wiessenschaften, 2005, pp. 53-81.
• Bühler, C. and Fratzcek, E., ‘Social Capital and Fertility Intentions: the Case of Poland’, MPIRD Working Paper WP-2004-012, Rostock 2004: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.
• Caldwell, J., Theory of Fertility Decline, London/New York 1982: Academic Press.
• Cordón, J., ‘Youth residential independence and autonomy: A comparative study", Journal of Family Issues, no 18, 1997, pp. 576-607.
• Černič Istenič, M. and Kveder, A., ‘Urban-rural life setting as the explanatory factor of differences in fertility behaviour in Slovenia’, Informatica, no 32, 2008, pp. 111-122.
• Černič Istenič, M. and Knežević Hočevar, D., ‘Perception of intergenerational relationships on farms through the gender lens’, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Austrian Society of Agrarian Economists, University of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, Vienna 18th-19th September, 2008.
• Černič Istenič, M., ‘Attitudes towards gender roles and gender role behaviour among urban, rural and farm populations in Slovenia’, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, no 38, 2007, pp. 477-496.
• Černič Istenič, M., Farm women in Slovenia, in: B. B. Boch and S. Shortall (eds.), Rural Gender Relations. Issues and Case Studies, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, 2006, CABI Publishing, pp. 63-96.
• Dernulc, S., Urška Ilijaš, Kutin, B., Orešnik, I., Popis kmetijskih gospodarstev, Slovenia 2000. [Agricultural Census, Slovenia 2000], Ljubljana 2002: Statistični Urad Republike Slovenije.
• Hennon, C. and Hildenbrand, B., ‘Modernising to remain traditional: farm families maintaining a valued lifestyle’, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, no 36, 2005, pp. 505-520.
• Iedema, J., Becker, H. and Sanders, K., ‘Transition into independence: A comparison of cohorts born since 1930 in The Netherlands’, European Sociological Review, no 13, 1997, pp. 117-137.
• Knežević Hočevar, D., ‘Some reflections on fertility in Slovenia’, Anthropological notebooks, no 13, 2007, pp. 5-10.
• Mackensen, R., Social Change and Reproductive Behaviour - on Continuous Transition, in: Ch. Hohn and R. Mackensen (ed.) Determinants of Fertility Trends: Theories Re-examined, Liege 1982: Ordina, pp. 251-279.
• Nave-Herz, R., ‘Still in the nest: The family and young adults in Germany’, Journal of Family, no 18, 1997, pp. 671-689.
• Philipov, D. and Sholnikov, V., ‘Fertility intentions and coping strategies: results from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey’ Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Washington 2001 D.C, March 2001.
• Sieder, R., Socialna zgodovina družine [Social History of Family], Ljubljana 1998: Studia humanitatis.
• Statistical Office of Republic of Slovenia. 2008. Age specific fertility rates. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
• Šircelj, M., Rodnost v Sloveniji od 18. do 21. stoletja [Fertility in Slovenia from 18th to 21st Century]. Ljubljana 2006: Statistical Office of Republic Slovenia.
• Šircelj, M., ‘Fertility and educational attainment in Slovenia’, Anthropological Notebooks, no 13, 2007, pp. 11-33.
• United Nations. 2008. Demographic Yearbook. Retrieved August 8, 2008
• Van de Kaa, D., Europe and its population: the long view, in: D. Van de Kaa, H. Leridon, G. Gesano and M. Okólski. (eds.) European Populations. Unity in Diversity, Dordrecht/Boston/London 1999: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 1-49.
• Van de Kaa, D., ‘Europe's second demographic transition’ Population Bulletin, no 42, 1987, pp. 1-47.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10130-009-0004-6