Like Daughter, like Son? Fertility Decline and the Transformation of Gender Systems in the Family

Keera Allendorf, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

One important question for population research is whether fertility decline transforms gender systems. This paper contributes to answering this broad question by examining how fertility decline may change the relative value and roles of daughters versus sons in families. First, I outline theoretical pathways, suggesting that a key factor is the gender composition of families. As fertility declines, the proportion of families with children of only one gender increases, which may lead to greater gender symmetry between daughters and sons. Second, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 30 respondents, I explore how fertility decline may be transforming the relative value and roles of sons and daughters in practice in one Indian village. I describe perceptions of gendered changes in son preference, education, marriage and pre-marital relationships, and parental support in old age. The analysis is also supplemented with data on the larger region from the census and surveys.