Whose job instability affects the likelihood of becoming a parent in Italy? A tale of two partners

Daniele Vignoli (), Gustavo De Santis and Sven Drefahl
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Gustavo De Santis: Università degli Studi di Firenze
Sven Drefahl: Stockholms Universitet

Demographic Research, 2012, vol. 26, issue 2, 41-62

Abstract: We examine the likelihood of becoming a parent in Italy taking into account the employment (in)stability of both partners in a couple. We use data from four waves of the Italian section of the EU-SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Condition), 2004-2007, accounting for its longitudinal nature. Overall, our results suggest that Italian couples are neither fully traditional nor entirely modern: the "first pillar" (i.e., a male partner with a stable and well-paid job) is still crucial in directing fertility decisions, because, in our interpretation, it gives the household a feeling of (relative) economic security. But this "old" family typology is becoming rare. Increasingly, both partners are employed, and in this case the characteristics of their employment prove important. A permanent occupation for both partners is associated with higher fertility, while alternative job typologies for either of the two depress fertility.

Keywords: income; Italy; first birth; employment instability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (113)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:demres:v:26:y:2012:i:2

DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2012.26.2

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