Author(s): Serap KAVAS
This study aims to shed light on the declining fertility rate in Turkey by bringing a sociological perspective to the very phenomenon. Although fertility is one important axis of Turkish demographic change, it does not receive much attention from the academic community in Turkey. Importantly, the existing studies evaluate the phenomenon mostly from a structural perspective. For a more comprehensive and scientific study, a combination of structural and ideational perspectives should be employed by taking the peculiar characteristics of our country. Ideational perspectives include values, norms and attitudes. Recently, inclusion of value laden factors such as ideas about freedom and equality, values and beliefs concerning family life and religious beliefs and commitments have been acknowledged as important determinants of fertility related behavior of ordinary people. In this vein, this study draws attention to the gap in the scholarly literature and suggests using a combination of structural and ideational factors in a study of Turkish fertility decline.
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