Theories and heuristics: how best to approach the study of historic fertility declines?

Abstract: "This paper argues that a move away from a unifying but teleological framework for studying fertility declines can only been intellectually emancipating and is a necessary precondition for scientific advance. The study of change in human reproduction is an immensely complex and multi-faceted problem which requires the combination of both quantitative and qualitative forms of evidence and their respective methodologies of enquiry. The theoretical challenge is to construct an intellectually facilitating heuristic framework for synthesis of comparative, multidisciplinary study of the multiple fertility declines that have occurred, not to seek a replacement 'general narrative' for discredited demographic transition and modernization theories. Quantitative historical demography can only gain in its explanatory power by engaging with studies which also incorporate research into such qualitative aspects of gender as sex and power and which address a more historicist understanding of the r

Object Details

• Alternative title: Theorien und Heuristiken: mit welcher Herangehensweise sollte man historische Geburtenrückgänge untersuchen?
• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Theories and heuristics: how best to approach the study of historic fertility declines? ; volume:36 ; number:2 ; year:2011 ; pages:65-98 ; Veröffentlichungsversion ; begutachtet (peer reviewed) ; Historical social research ; 36, Heft 2 (2011), 65-98

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Anthropologie ; Geschichte

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Szreter, Simon

Further information

• DOI: 10.12759/hsr.36.2011.2.65-98
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-342209
• Rights: Open Access; Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:50 AM CEST