Fertility and Family Demography

Fertility and family demography has been a central component of CFDR since its inception. American family behaviors have undergone dramatic shifts over the past few decades: declining birth rates and a rising age at first birth, declining marriage rates and a rising age at first marriage (accompanied by a growth in cohabitation and changes in remarriage), and declines in divorce at younger ages but increases at older ages. These shifts have not occurred equally across the population, with changes both resulting from, and contributing to, widening inequality. Similarly, the causes and consequences of these shifts are widespread – linked to education, employment, incarceration, mental and physical health, among other aspects – across the life course and for individuals and families. CFDR Affiliates’ novel work on childbearing and union formation and stability has made them national leaders in this area, and Affiliates rigorously interrogate measurement and approaches, pushing the field to adapt and become more responsive to social change and diversity in its data collection efforts. CFDR’s work in this area is closely aligned with the National Center for Family and Marriage Research (NCFMR) and the Marriage Strengthening Research and Dissemination (MAST) Center.

Spring 2022 Working Group meetings:
Friday, January 21, 11:00 am -12:00 pm
Friday, February 25, 12:30-1:30 pm
Monday, April 11, 12:30-1:30 pm

• Susan L. Brown
• Alfred DeMaris
• I-Fen Lin
• Wendy D. Manning
• Kei Nomaguchi
• Krista K. Westrick-Payne
• Laura Sanchez
• Deadric Willliams
  
• Jenjira Yahirun