Women's Employment and Childbearing in Post-Industrialized Societies: The Fertility Paradox

This book discusses the relationship between women's labour force participation and fertility rates in developed nations. It shows a positive relationship between women's workforce participation and childbirth. It theorises a new approach to explaining this 'fertility paradox' that looks at institutional factors influencing gender equality in developed nations. The book analyses a range of institutional variables that impact the positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates, including labour market institutions, social policies and welfare state institutions (family policies, active labour market programs and public sector employment) as well as household gender dynamics. Written for both academics and policy-makers, this book has theoretical relevance for research on gender and work, and also for policies aimed at increasing women's employment and redressing low fertility, which are important issues in many developed nations.