PARENT .: Procriação e Parentalidade em contexto de baixa fecundidade, mudança familiar e crise económica

Portuguese fertility has been declining since the 1970s and in the early 21st century there was an increase in

postponement and a severe reduction in childbirths. The dramatic decline in fertility in 2010-14, which dropped to

lowest-low levels, has to be understood in the context of the economic crisis and austerity measures that worsened

the living conditions of young adults, hindering childbearing intentions and family formation.

Beyond the crisis and retrenchment in welfare policies, new normative orientations to family life and parenting may

also be endorsing poor fertility outcomes. Low fertility has been shown to be related to a cultural shift towards small

family size, influenced by: novel childrearing styles, today highly sentimentalised and stressing children?s well-being

and rights; demanding and time-consuming requisites of responsible parenting; family values and practices shaped

by individualization, diversification and changing gender roles.

Drawing on three fields of knowledge - sociology, demography, social policy- and combining the explanatory frames

of life course and social structural approaches, the aim of this project is threefold:

To analyse the impact of the economic crisis and family change on the childbearing and parenting perspectives and

outcomes of specific birth cohorts (1970-74; 1980-84), exposed to the crisis at different stages of the life course.

Research will seek to draw out the influence of austerity on young adults opportunities at a specific life-stage, as well

as the impact of new parenting values, embedded in more individualistic and conflicting assessments of parenthood

and family life.

To explore how social structural variables are shaping childbearing and parenting in two cohort groups. Childbearing

behaviours, at first sight private and explained by individuals preferences, may depend on different macro- and microlevel

conditions which shape them beyond the volition of individuals and life-stage effects. Regional asymmetries as

well as cleavages related to social and gender will be taken into account.

To promote debate and public understanding of these issues by policy actors and stakeholders. The long-term impact

of low fertility on families and societies (e.g. ageing and its impact on social cohesion across the generations) is an

issue that has been taken up recurrently in the arena of public policies. Recent years have seen an explicit focus on

pro-natalism and parenting as designated areas of policy intervention. Social policy approaches have stressed the

need to move beyond a normative model of modern-day parenting by taking into account the current perspectives of

young adults themselves, and the diversity in parenting ideals and practices.

The project will apply quantitative, qualitative and outreach methodologies and promote a dynamic and collaborative

work environment combining high-level expertise across different fields of knowledge as well as opportunities for

young scholars.