China is one of the few developing countries with very low fertility in the current world.The very low fertility ahead of the level of modernization has become a paradox.To solve this puzzle,we need to have perspective of the societal context and structural factors.There are three logics behind China's fertility paradox,namely economic,cultural and institutional.The forces of these logics created a social atmosphere full of tension which influence directly and strongly the individual's fertility intention and decision-making by institutionalization of the life course,and lead to the path-dependence of low fertility behavior pattern.All the logics are long-term social tectonic forces and have their historic roots.Thus,it's difficult to reverse the situation of low fertility in the short term.In the policy response to the low fertility,it is not only necessary to eliminate gender discrimination and maternal punishment,promote a balance between work and childbirth and other fertility friendly policies,but also to deepen reforms in various livelihood systems and fundamentally eliminate or adjust structural factors that inhibit fertility intentions and behaviors.
fertility paradoxlow fertilityinstitutionalization of the life course
万方数据
维普
