Assimilation and Fertility Behavior in the South Asian Diaspora in the United States

• In Event: Asia and Asian American Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 3: Asia and Asian America Section Roundtable - Assimilation and Transnationalism

Abstract

This paper uses assimilation theory to examine fertility patterns among the Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi diaspora in the U.S. compared to their home countries. The study employs a binary dependent variable indicating whether respondents had a child in the past year, with race as the primary independent variable. It focuses on South Asian populations and includes comparisons with White, Black, and East Asian groups. Control variables encompass education, poverty status, marital status, insurance, residence area, and food stamp receipt. Analyzing data from the American Community Survey (2010-2019), logistic regression results indicate that the South Asian diaspora maintains higher fertility rates than non-Hispanic Whites, with Pakistani origin individuals exhibiting the highest fertility, followed by Indians and Bangladeshis. Additionally, higher fertility rates are associated with marital status, lower education levels, and socio-economic challenges, particularly among food stamp recipients.

Author

• Fizza Raza, Georgia State University