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POLITICAL BOUNDARY VERSUS SOCIAL CONTEXT: DYNAMICS OF SOCIOECONOMIC DIFFERENTIALS IN FERTILITY IN INDIAN STATES
Dharma Arunachalam1, Kannan Navaneetham2, Walter Forrest3
1*School of Social Sciences,Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.
Journal of Biosocial Science
|November 22, 2017
Summary
Fertility differences among major social groups in India persist and vary significantly within states, not just between them. These disparities, particularly for Hindus, the poor, and Muslims, remained stable or increased between 1992-93 and 2005-06.
Area of Science:
- Demography
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Fertility trends in India are influenced by social group affiliations and regional disparities.
- Understanding these differentials is crucial for targeted public health interventions and policy-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine fertility differentials among major social groups in India.
- To assess how these differentials varied across states and over time (1992-93 to 2005-06).
- To investigate the role of interstate variations versus regional divides in fertility patterns.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from India's National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-I, 1992-93 and NFHS-III, 2005-06).
- Inclusion of 54,030 (NFHS-I) and 55,369 (NFHS-III) currently married women aged 15-34.
- Assessment of fertility behavior using reported parity and desired family size.
Main Results:
- Interstate variations in childbearing patterns within social groups were substantial, often exceeding variations between states.
- Noticeable fertility variations were observed among Hindus, the poor, and Muslims.
- These variations did not decrease and potentially increased slightly for some groups between the two survey periods.
- No consistent north-south divide in fertility behavior or desired family size was found.
Conclusions:
- Fertility differentials are strongly linked to social group identity within India.
- Regional influences on fertility appear to be diminishing, replaced by broader, pan-Indian socio-economic and cultural forces.
- Policy interventions addressing fertility should consider intra-state variations within social groups.
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