Individual Fertility Choices in Poland

Książka obejmuje zagadnienia związane z podejmowaniem decyzji o rodzicielstwie. W całości w jęz. angielskim.

What are the processes contributing to individual reproductive choices, which, at the macro level, are reflected in the substantial drop in birth rates in the current context? How are these choices experienced and justified by young Poles?

Acknowledgements 9 Chapter 1: Introduction 11 1.1. Background of the study and research aims 11 1.2. Outline of the book 16 Chapter 2: The Polish Case 19 2.1. Fertility patterns in Poland 20 2.1.1. Fertility 20 2.1.2. Nuptiality and childbearing 23 2.1.3. A note on migration 24 2.1.4. Summary 25 2.2. Context I: The ever-changing economic and institutional landscape 26 2.2.1. From a centrally planned to a free market economy 26 2.2.2. Unemployment 27 2.2.3. Material situation of Poles 29 2.2.4. Importance of human capital: Education 30 2.2.5. Women in the labour market 31 2.2.6. Provision of childcare 33 2.3. Context II: The cultural heritage 34 2.3.1. The Catholic Church 35 2.3.2. Strong family 35 2.3.3. Attitudes towards marriage and gender roles 36 2.3.4. Contraception and abortion 37 2.4. Summary 39 Chapter 3: Theoretical Approaches to Fertility Decline 41 3.1. Theories of low fertility 41 3.1.1. Demographic transitions and post-materialistic values theory 41 3.1.2. Gender Equity Theory 43 3.1.3. Globalisation and uncertainty theory 44 3.1.4. Going micro: combining sub-narratives 45 3.2. Individual behaviour: fertility choices 50 3.2.1. Microeconomic approach 50 3.2.2. Socio-psychological approach: Theory of Planned Behaviour 53 3.2.3. Socio-psychological approach: Traits-Desires-Intentions-Behaviour 56 3.3. Fertility choices in Poland: Individual perspectives 58 3.3.1. The model of individual behaviour: basic assumptions and definitions 60 3.3.2. Research questions 62 Chapter 4: Methodology of the Research: Qualitative Interviews 65 4.1. Rationale for the methodology 65 4.2. Sample selection and characteristics 66 4.3. Method 72 4.3.1. Problem-centred interviews 73 4.4. Qualitative data analysis 78 4.4.1. Open coding 79 4.4.2. Axial coding 80 4.4.3. Selective coding 82 4.5. A note on the presentation of the results 83 Chapter 5: Motivation to Parenthood 85 5.1. Positive attitudes: Expected values of children 85 5.2. Beliefs about parenthood and childlessness 88 5.2.1. Immediate benefits: A natural course of life events 88 5.2.2. Delayed benefits: Fear of getting old 90 5.2.3. Advantages of childlessness and competing goals 92 5.3. Desire to have children, gender difference, and biology 94 5.4. A child or children? 100 5.5. Summary: How is the motivation to have a child formed? 102 Chapter 6: Behavioural Control: Conditions for Parenthood 107 6.1. Actor-related behavioural control 107 6.1.1. Individual development 108 6.1.2. Relationship development: Marriage 109 6.1.3. Actor-related control: Summary 113 6.2. Situation-related behavioural control: Economic and institutional aspects 114 6.2.1. Education 115 6.2.2. The housing situation in Poland 116 6.2.3. Job and income 118 6.2.4. Contradictions in narrations: Is money crucial, and when? 120 6.2.5. Financial resources and the number of children 122 6.2.6. Costs of children: Investing money 123 6.2.7. Costs of children: Investing time 127 6.2.8. Job insecurity 129 6.2.9. (Un)Protected mothers 130 6.2.10. Professional career or earning money? 133 6.2.11. Childcare arrangements 136 6.2.12. Childcare: What about men? 139 6.2.13. Role of the state 141 6.2.14. Situation-related control: A summary 142 6.3. Summary: In what way does behavioural control influence fertility choices? 145 Chapter 7: Understanding a Couple’s Choice: Paths to Parenthood 149 7.1. Behavioural strategies (not) leading to pregnancy 149 7.2. Understanding transitions to parenthood 162 7.3. The process leading to fertility choices – a few general remarks 169 7.4. Summary: Understanding a couple’s choice 170 Chapter 8: Concluding Discussion: Old Values, New Context 173 8.1. Summary of the findings 173 8.2. Fertility choices: Anomie or adaptation? 178 References 185 Appendix I Information about the respondents 209 Appendix II Interview guideline 211