The Cultural Dimensions of Global Fertility Decline

• In Event: 20481 - Section on Sociology of Development Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2. Health and Development

Abstract

Fertility rates have plummeted worldwide, yet conventional explanations remain tethered to domestic forces such as economic growth and modernization. However, can these theories account for the long-term changes in fertility when such shifts transcend national boundaries and operate as part of a transnational process? Beyond economic development, global institutions actively shape cultural norms by disseminating ideas of individualism, human rights, and gender equality that redefine family formation. Drawing on developmental idealism and world society theory, I argue that the diffusion of these cultural principles through international organizations and global governance contributes to persistent fertility declines. These cultural scripts are embedded in education systems, legal reforms for women’s rights, and family policies. Using panel regression models covering 150 countries from 1970 to 2020, my findings demonstrate a strong connection between the spread of individualism and gender equality—disseminated by global institutions—and fertility decline. This relationship persists even after controlling for economic and demographic factors. These results refine conventional demographic transition theories and highlight the powerful influence of global cultural forces in shaping fertility trends across geopolitical contexts.

Author

• Risako Ninomiya, University of California-Irvine