Pathways to family formation. A sequence analysis of the 19th century fertility transition in Flanders.

The aim of the project is to decompose the shift in sequences of life events (regarding family formation) in the rapidly changing society of 19th century Flanders. Sequence analysis will allow us to explore a number of processes associated with the demographic transition: the decline of infant mortality and its impact on fertility choices, the shift towards a smaller number of better educated children, the changing role of kin, and the emergence of an early marriage pattern. The focus is on earlier family formation and earlier stopping of childbearing, and we will look closely at changing pathways of forerunners and laggards in this process. Did the sequence of events change at the start of and/or in the course of the demographic transition? Was this shift a driver of conscious fertility control? We can study these new questions using a unique database containing life courses of multiple, linked generations (1846-1920) in the larger Antwerp area. The project completes and cha llenges the work of our team of PhD students working on various aspects of family formation.

Keywords:Sequence analysis, Family formation, Flanders, Fertility transition, 19th century, Marriage, Life course analysis

Disciplines:Other social sciences