Changes In Marriage Patterns Research Articles

The second demographic transition, new household forms and the urban population of France during the 1990s

European household structures and their geography have been transformed in recent decades as a response to the interplay of demographic events and changing lifestyles. The formation of new households generally outstrips the rate of population increase, as more numerous and smaller households result from changing patterns of marriage, child‐bearing, divorce and longevity. This paper tests some of the underlying hypotheses of the ‘second demographic transition’ using data from the most recent (1999) French population census. It provides an analysis of changing national household structures over the last quarter of the twentieth century and highlights the importance of smaller households, with particular emphasis on the rise of living alone. Trends identified in earlier work have intensified during the 1990s. In discussing the geography of new household forms, the paper focuses particularly on the evolution of major central cities and argues for more explicit links between their distinctive population and household structures and wider socio‐economic change.

Below-replacement fertility in Thailand and its policy implications

The fertility transition in Thailand has been one of the most rapid among Asian countries that are yet to attain newly industrialized country status. In the early 1960s, the total fertility rate exceeded six births per woman; currently, it stands at 1.9 or slightly below replacement level. At present, it is hard to predict the future trend in fertility as this involves several factors that need much closer study, in particular, fertility preferences, changes in marriage patterns and the wider effects of the current economic crisis in Thailand. Rapid declines in fertility and mortality have had a profound effect on the age structure of the population, notably the increasing elderly proportion. Thailand now faces new challenges and priorities for population policy. Policy responses to concerns arising from below-replacement fertility will be much more complex and involve greater government activism, improved institutional capacities and more resources than in the past. This paper reviews the fertility transition in Thailand and looks at some consequences and policy implications of low fertility, with special reference to the family and the elderly population.

Adult Children Helping Older Parents

Using the 1993 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the authors examine help given to older parents in typical American families. Daughters and sons not in couples were more likely to help than those in couples, and gave substantially more hours. In couples, daughters were less likely to help than sons, but they helped for considerably more hours. Black daughters helped at least as commonly as White daughters, and did so for substantially more hours than either White daughters or sons of either race. Results suggest that Black sons may help less commonly than White sons. Black sons who help, however, do so for at least as many hours as White sons. Findings suggest that changes in the Black American family have not produced the notable intergenerational relations breakdown anticipated by some researchers. Results also illuminate the important role of sons in family help and suggest that changing marriage patterns may not reduce help to older parents.

Generational Changes in Marriage Patterns in the Central Province of Kenya, 1930-1990

It is the argument of this paper, which compares the experiences and attitudes of three generations of Kikuyu women in Kenya, that the practices of female circumcision and polygyny, the payment of bridewealth, and the age of first marriage were all affected over the sixty year period of this study by a combination of changes in the material world and by the proselytization of Christian missionaries. Most of the women in the third generation, who were in their twenties in 1990, have abandoned female circumcision and all of them reject the idea of polygynous marriage. Most of them are attempting to construct a marriage arrangement that reflects their understanding of western Christian practice, but the marriage age is now much more fluid and marriage itself much less certain.

Changes in marriage patterns in the Spanish province of Navarre from the eighteenth to the twentieth century

This article examines developments in marriage patterns in the Spanish province of Navarre over the last 300 years. The data from Navarrese villages show that the age of both men and women on their first marriage was well past the onset of sexual maturity. However, major differences were noted between the marriage patterns in the different villages. It was also noteworthy that the increasing intensity in marriage patterns observed in other European countries from the late nineteenth century onwards is not reflected in the case of Spain. Spain, and particularly rural Navarre, saw an uninterrupted decline in I′m values from the late-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century. The possible influence of migratory movements on the I′m values in rural Navarre is analysed. Findings are also reported concerning the age difference between partners offer the last three centuries.

The effects of ethnicity and educational attainment on Jewish marriage patterns: Changes in Israel, 1957–1995

. This paper presents a study of changes in marriage patterns among the Jewish population of Israel over nearly 40 years. Using data from four Israeli Censuses spanning experience from the late 1950s to the mid 1990s, we employ Schoen's harmonic mean model in a multivariate framework to consider, simultaneously, changes over time in age-specific marriage rates by ethnicity and educational attainment. Our analyses point to a number of clear and interesting findings: (1) an increasingly positive association between marriage and educational attainment, especially for women; (2) the continuing central role of ethnicity in mate selection, despite important declines in ethnic endogamy over the period; (3) a decrease in the prominence of unions of ‘exchange’; (4) some evidence of increasing ‘block’ endogamy among Jews of Asian and African origin; and (5) a small increase in educational homogamy over the period. Interpretations and implications of these findings are discussed.

Generational Changes in Marriage Patterns in the Central Province of Kenya, 1930-1990

Generational Changes in Marriage Patterns in the Central Province of Kenya, 1930-1990

The Impact of Women’s Socioeconomic Position on Marriage Patterns in Sub-Saharan Afirca

Several theories have suggested that Western influences would gradually alter traditional African family systems. Although the predicted convergence toward a Western type of nuclear family has not occurred, there have been important changes in African nuptiality patterns. This article examines theories stating that differentials and changes in marriage patterns are related to the relative status of women. In particular, we assess to what extent factors such as women’s inheritance rights, women’s involvement in trade and politics, and women’s contribution to agricultural labor affect the nuptiality pattern of a society.

Recent changes in marriage patterns in rural Bangladesh

"This article considers age at marriage and other aspects of nuptiality in Bangladesh in the context of opportunities to accelerate national development. It suggests that concerted efforts to increase the female age at marriage could produce a number of beneficial effects ranging from reduction in the incidence of divorce and widowhood to a lowering of fertility. It suggests a number of policy and programme measures that could be employed to foster such an increase."

Women's Position and Demographic Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

This volume examines research and policy issues that involve inter-relationships between womens status and demographic phenomena in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The volume stems from the considerable concern of both scholars and policy makers regarding the prospects for demographic change in this region in which rapid population growth is exacerbating development problems and making it more difficult for basic human needs to be met....The book is organized in two sections according to whether or not the focus of study is directly on the examination of hypothesized linkages (and their implications) between womens position and demographic phenomena. The first section contains chapters in which womens position is considered either as a contributory determinant or an outcome of changing marriage patterns proximate determinants of fertility morbidity and mortality the spread and control of HIV/AIDS and migration. Chapters in the second section mainly describe the condition of women particularly how gender inequality and discriminations against women in societies dominated by men are manifested in daily life as typified by types of work that women do and how they accomplish them. (EXCERPT)

Dissolution of Premarital Cohabitation in Canada

The rapid increase in the number of unmarried cohabiting couples, indicated by recent evidence, is crucial to our understanding of changing marriage patterns. The levels and patterns of entry into cohabitation have been well documented over the last two decades, but little is known about the outcomes of nonmarital cohabitation. In this study we examine two competing outcomes of cohabitation relationships: union separation and legalization of the union through marriage. Our results show that the hazard rate of union dissolution is affected particularly by gender, fertility status, partner's marital status, religion, age at start of cohabitation, year cohabitation commenced, and region.

Reflections on the consanguinity and birth outcome debate

The high rate of consanguineous marriages has been implicated as an important factor in the high rates of perinatal mortality and congenital malformations among the UK Pakistani population. This paper critically considers the debate on consanguinity and birth outcome. A critical review of epidemiological literature is placed in the context of wider, but centrally important, debates on social class and ethnic categorizations, notions of culture and literature on racism. The epidemiological literature is inconsistent in its findings, and is often based on data and arguments of dubious validity. Equally, notions of social class, ethnicity and culture used in such studies lack sophistication and require reconsideration. Health policy options based on promoting cultural change in marriage patterns, conveniently but unjustifiably, shift the blame of poor birth outcome onto the Pakistani community and are doomed to failure. The consanguinity hypothesis is over-simplistic to explain the higher rates of perinatal mortality and congenital malformations among the Pakistani population. Its popularity rests less on its scientific merit and more on its convenience in shifting the blame onto supposedly deviant cultures and marriage patterns and its fit with racist ideas of alienness and deviance.

Safe Motherhood in South Asia: Current Status and Strategies for Change

Women in South Asia comprise close to one third of the world's female population. Not only is South Asia an extremely populous region but population growth rates have been much higher than averages for other developing countries. The implications of high population growth rates are quite direct and severe for women, as they are the result of high levels of fertility which have prevailed for some time in this region. The stable and high levels of fertility along with falling mortality have led to a youthful population structure where about 45 percent of the population is aged under 15. Since childbearing as well as childrearing are almost the sole responsibility of women, these figures reflect the burden of high fertility amongst South Asian women. An average South Asian woman marries at a fairly young age, (even though the region is exhibiting a distinct trend of rising age at marriage for females) and starts bearing children soon after. Though fertility rates have been declining in most of India and Bangladesh while they had already reached quite low levels in Sri Lanka, other countries of the region (mainly Nepal and Pakistan) have still to experience any dramatic declines in fertility. In contrast with trends in the Latin American and South East Asian region, increases in contraceptive use in South Asia have not played as substantive a role in fertility declines as changing marriage patterns, atleast so far. See Table 1 for recent figures on fertility and contraceptive use among females of this region.

The fertility decline in China: The contribution of changes in marital status and marital fertility

Fertility declines in China are evident, however disagreement occurs over what the determinants are. This study examines the impact of changes in marriage patterns and marital fertility patterns in China during 1953-81. Coale's indirect standardization procedure is used, and results show wide fluctuations during 1949-64, a slight decline during 1965-68, a sharp decline during the 1970s, and a slight increase in the early 1980s. The decline in 1967 marks the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. The decline during the 1970s marks the "later, longer, fewer" campaign. Marital fertility and overall fertility follow the same curve, which suggests that marital fertility has a greater impact on fertility than nuptiality. 74.4% of total fertility during 1953-81 is accounted for by changes in marital fertility. 25.6% of total fertility is attributed to the decline in marital fertility. The proportion ever married inhibits potential fertility more during 1961-81 than during 1953-60 (30% vs. 20%). Changes in the overall fertility rate are more dramatic than changes in the index of marital fertility. For example, the decline was from 0.46 to 0.29 in general fertility compared to a decline from 0.53 to 0.41 for marital fertility. It is reasoned that marital fertility declined due to family limitation. Data are obtained from the 1982 One-Per-Thousand Sample Fertility Survey on the retrospective histories of childbearing and marriage among women aged 15-67 years. A conclusion is made that research should focus on examining the underlying determinants of marital fertility. After the 1970s a variety of factors influenced fertility including family planning policy during the 1970s and in 1979, institutional developments, and social changes in education, employment, women's status, and health services. Behavioral and psychological factors also have an impact on fertility decisions.

Changing marriage patterns

Abstract In recent times marriage has seemingly become less popular, more fragile and less of an exclusive setting for having children. This paper examines recent changes in marriage, cohabitation, divorce and re-marriage patterns. It suggests that much of the decline in marriage rates, seen since the beginning of the 1970s, is likely to be due to people marrying at increasingly older ages, rather than a wholesale rejection of marriage. One of the more important elements influencing changes in marriage patterns is the rise in cohabitation. We track the development of cohabitation and note that it is now virtually a majority practice prior to marrying and commonplace prior to a re-marriage. Few cohabitations continue for extended periods Cohabitation generally precedes rather than substitutes for marriage. However, a growing minority of couples are no longer marrying before becoming parents and this has contributed to the recent doubling in the proportion of extra-marital births. Over recent decades more p...

Modernization and household formation on St. Bart: Continuity and change

The population of Saint Barthelemy, French West Indies, consists of descendants of French peasants who emigrated to the West Indies nearly three centuries ago. As in rural France, new households are formed on the island upon marriage. This study analyzes changes in marriage patterns that have occurred in the 99 years between 1878–1976. These changes include increase in marriage distance, increase in completed family size, increase in celibacy, decrease in the frequency of cousin marriage, and decrease in the percentage of mothers bearing children out of wedlock. The data are derived from the parochial and civil records of birth, death, and marriage of nearly 10,000 individuals. Despite changes in marriage patterns and modernization of the island, there has been little change in household form or the process of household formation.

Changing patterns of marriage and household formation in Peninsular Malaysia.

"Based on surveys conducted among different ethnic groups in rural and urban settings in Peninsular Malaysia in 1981-82, this paper analyses changes in patterns of marriage and household formation among Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Aspects covered include social mixing before marriage, choice of spouse, comparison of spouses' characteristics, and place of residence after marriage. There are important cultural differences between the main Malaysian ethnic groups in matters related to marriage, but in many important respects, attitudes and practice are tending to converge...."

The Great Conundrum

Some great historical changes can be succinctly described by a few numbers. In 1650, the population of England was 5.2 million. In 1750 it was 5.7 million. In 1850 it was 16.7 million. Population increased in most other European countries as well, though not as rapidly. The sheer growth in the number of people did as much to change society and daily life in Europe as the Industrial and French revolutions and their aftermaths. Modem population growth has been the subject of a huge literature ever since 1798, when the Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus wrote his famous pamphlet. Many of Malthus's insights and recommendations were hotly disputed in his time. And although historical demographers today have a far larger body of information at their disposal, the dispute continues unabated. Still, historical demography has arrived at some points of consensus. One is that most of the growth of English population in the century before 1850 was caused by a rise in the birth rate, not a fall in the death rate; another, that the rise in the birth rate was due mainly to a rise in the propensity to marry, which started in the middle of the eighteenth century. A third is that before the eighteenth century England's population had been held in check mostly by what Malthus called the preventive check-through low nuptiality. Wars, epidemics, famines, and other factors on the mortality side of the equation were of secondary importance in the long term. Thus the changes in marriage patterns after 1750 led to a collapse of the Malthusian equilibrium and the consequent growth of population. How and why this change in nuptiality took place is far less clear. It is particularly odd in view of the very different experiences across Europe. In France, for instance, the female age at first marriage and the proportion never married do not start dropping until the 1820s. In Scandinavia, mortality decline played a much greater role than in England. The historical conundrum, as E. A. Wrigley has called it, that now demands resolution consists of two related questions: Why did English nuptiality rates rise so suddenly, and why was no other mechanism to regulate population size activated?

Retrovirus-associated adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma: an epidemiologic study of five cases among Hawaii-born offspring of migrant Japanese.

Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is a distinct clinicopathologic entity etiologically linked to HTLV-I infection. We have identified five cases of retrovirus-associated ATLL among Hawaii-born first generation offspring (nisei) of migrant Japanese. Four patients were offspring of migrant Japanese (issei) who emigrated to Hawaii from Okinawa, an HTLV-I endemic area. The fifth patient was born of parents who emigrated to Hawaii from Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, HTLV-I nonendemic areas. Epidemiologic implications and family studies with regard to HTLV-I antibody testing of the index cases are discussed. The high rate of HTLV-I antibody seropositivity among family members and relatives indicates that the risk of acquiring HTLV-I infection and of developing ATLL persists long after migration. Documentation of ATLL among offspring of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii is an important observation because it confirms the potential for long latency between putative exposure to virus and the development of overt disease. Changing marriage patterns among the Hawaii-Japanese may weaken the risk of vertical virus transmission to the descendents of migrants from southern Japan, while increasing the risk to children born of mixed marriages. In addition, blood products derived from high-risk donors will constitute a continuing hazard if they are not subject to screening.

Components of change in adolescent fertility, 1971–1979

This article disaggregates change in adolescent fertility between 1971 and 1979 into four components: change in marriage patterns, in nonmarital sex, in pregnancy, and in birth. It also assesses quantitatively the relative contribution of each component to the change over time in two fertility outcomes: the probability of a nonmarital live birth and, given a live birth, the odds of its being nonmarital. The changes in the probability of sexual debut prior to marriage and in marriage patterns themselves are the two most important contributors to these changes. The influence on the change in adolescent fertility outcomes of the decreased likelihood of marriage following a nonmarital pregnancy was compensated for by the increased use of abortion to terminate the pregnancy.