Overview

The literature on the gender revolution theorises that the rising share of female breadwinner families is driven by gender-egalitarian attitudes and will be linked to increased fertility. However, results from Vitali's ESRC Future Leaders Project suggest that the main driver behind the rise of female breadwinners is male unemployment and that female-breadwinner families are considerably more likely to experience economic uncertainty compared to any other couple type. This project aims to shed new light on the relationship between couple's earning arrangements and fertility decisions, examining how different combinations of earners and their local socio-economic context are associated with entry into parenthood and subsequent childbearing, using longitudinal data from the UKHLS. Unpicking this complex relationship will have important implications for understanding the future patterns of fertility across Europe in the context of economic recession and new family forms.