Abstract:This article examines the tension between population-level and individual-level interests regarding childbearing, from Malthus's concern for overpopulation to the contemporary issue of son preference, and argues for an understanding of individual-level interests that distinguishes parents from households. In making this distinction, we draw attention to how gender norms can play an important role in shaping reproductive interests. Survey data and previous work show a wealth of differences in the number of chil… Show more
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