Fertility decline in Greece : knowledge gaps in fertility policy debates

• Main Author: Sarikaki, Alexandra
• Published: Cardiff University 2005
• Subjects: 910; H Social Sciences (General)
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.583571

Greece is typical of the European experience vis-a-vis fertility decline. Its total fertility rates (TFR) fell below the population replacement level of 2.1 in 1981 and now remains at 1.3. A review of the fertility policy debates in Europe and in Greece, in particular, reveals that policy debates and discourses are biased with unfounded assumptions and judgements regarding causes and consequences of fertility decline. A review of existing literature and the researcher's own empirical work presents sufficient evidence to support this conclusion. In addition, a comparison of such political and institutional perspectives with the fertility experiences and perspectives of a sample population in Greece finds that the institutional perspectives are not always adequately informed of the ground realities. It is therefore concluded that significant informational gaps are present in Greek fertility policy debates. It is also theorised that such knowledge vacuums are one of the reasons why policy initiatives fail to deliver.