Doctoral Dissertation Research: "Deciphering the Discourse of Fertility: Reproduction, Migration and Family Formation in Guadeloupe

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This project supports the dissertation research of an anthropology student from the City University of New York. The student will investigate the rapid fertility decline which took place in Guadeloupe between 1960 and 1982, which appeared to signify that France had successfully stemmed population growth in this overseas department. The demographic literature correlated low fertility with `modernization` and a `European` type of family, inferring that assimilated Guadeloupeans have moved away from displaying traits associated with a `Caribbean` family model. However, between 1962 and 1982 a changing opportunity structure, particularly government sponsored labor migration, may have played a role. The hypothesis to be tested posits that low fertility is not associated primarily with a `European` family model, but can be found among women who are situated in a variety of family forms. The hypothesis will be tested using extensive life history and structured interview data from a sample of 40 Guadeloupean women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. This research is important because it will advance the theory of fertility declines in developing countries, by testing the effects of labor migration, and by fitting the general theory to this particular case. In addition the project will advance our scientific capacity by training a graduate student in demographic anthropology, and will also advance our nation's expertise about this important region of the world. %¥┐╝/% ║Á╝¢║Á│¥╣└Á ¥©╝?┐À© ¥©Á╣╝ ┴?╝, ╣ ¥©Á Â?╝Á╣À %/▓?╝/¥?╝` 0 ─ ­