EXPLAINING THE DEMOGRAPHIC-TRANSITION - INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS IN FERTILITY DECLINE

The theory of demographic transition served as the principal descriptive tool for fertility change in developing nations for more than 30 years. Weaknesses of the theory as both a descriptive and an explanatory framework have led largely to its rejection. While a number of alternative frameworks have been suggested, none has received the widespread support once accorded transition theory. This analysis reviews transition theory and argues for the theoretical importance of institutional factors in fertility decline. Sub-Saharan Africa serves as the locus of the analysis because it remains the world region with the highest fertility and the one in which the transition is just beginning. The organization of agricultural production is hypothesized to be important for fertility behavior and is identified as one of three institutional areas in which rural sociology may be uniquely qualified to contribute.