Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T16:00:05.440Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ethnic fertility differences in Canada, 1926–71: an examination of assimilation hypothesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

K. G. Basavarajappa  and
S. S. Halli
K. G. Basavarajappa
Affiliation:
Demography Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa
S. S. Halli
Affiliation:
Social Science Computing Laboratory, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The changing pattern of fertility differences among ethnic groups in Canada during the period 1926–71 is studied. Two specific questions are addressed. (1) Do ethnic groups assimilate the fertility patterns of the general Canadian population over time, i.e. are the fertility differences disappearing? (2) Is the extent of assimilation in fertility greater in urban than in rural areas? The indirectly standardized general fertility rates, calculated by using the ethnic age distribution data from the censuses of 1931 to 1971, indicate a tendency for the population to become more homogeneous during times of increasing fertility, thus supporting the assimilative possibilities, whereas in times of declining fertility there is a tendency for the population to become more heterogeneous. The data also seem to support weaker assimilatory tendencies in rural areas than in urban areas during only the most recent period, 1966–71, and not in earlier periods.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , January 1984 , pp. 45 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abu-Lughod, J. (1964) Urban–rural differences as a function of the demographic transition. Am. J. Sociol. 69, 476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Balakrishnan, T.R., Ebanks, G.E. & Grindstaff, C.F. (1980) Patterns of Fertility in Canada, 1971 Census Analytical Study. Statistics Canada, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Basavarajappa, K.G. (1971) The influence of fluctuations in economic conditions on fertility and marriage rates, Australia, 1920–21 to 1937–38 and 1946–47 to 1966–67. Popul. Stud. 25, 39.Google ScholarPubMed
Beaujot, R.P. (1975) Ethnic Fertility Differentials in Edmonton. PhD thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Beaujot, R.P. (1978) Canada's population: growth and dualism. Popul. Bull. 33, 3.Google ScholarPubMed
Blalock, H.M. (1972) Social Statistics, 2nd edn.McGraw-Hill, Toronto.Google Scholar
Collishaw, N.E. (1976) Fertility in Canada: Profile Studies 1971 Census of Canada. Catalogue 99–706, 5 Part: 1 (Bull. 5.1–6), Statistics Canada, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Easterlin, R.A. (1969) Towards a socioeconomic theory of fertility: a survey of recent research on economic factors in American fertility. In: Fertility and Family Planning: A World View. Edited by Behrman, S. J., Corsa, L. and Freedman, R.. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
Easterlin, R.A. (1978) What will 1984 be like? Socioeconomic implications of recent twists in age structure. Demography, 15, 397.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grindstaff, C.F. (1975) The baby bust: changes in fertility patterns in Canada. Can. Stud. Popul. 2, 15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henripin, J. (1972) Trends and Factors of Fertility in Canada (1961 census monograph). Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Henripin, J. & Legare, J. (1971) Recent trends in Canadian fertility. Can. Rev. Sociol. Anthrop. 8, 106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kralt, J. (1977) Ethnic Origins of Canadians. 1971 Census of Canada, Profile Studies, Catalogue 99–709. Information Canada, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Krotki, K. & Lapierre, E. (1968) La fécondité au Canada selon la religion, l'origine ethnique et l'état matrimonial. Population, 23, 815.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryder, N. (1979) The future of American fertility. Social Probl. 26, 359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shryock, H.S., Siegel, J.N., Bayo, F., Davidson, N., Demeny, P., Glick, P.C., Grabill, W.H., Grove, R.D., Israel, R.A., Jaffe, A.J., Kindermann, C.R., Larmon, E.A. & Nam, C.B. (1973) The Methods and Materials of Demography, p. 422. US Bureau of the Census, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada (1980) 1976 Census of Canada Quality of Data. Coverage Error in the 1976 Census of Population and Housing, Catalogue 99–840. Ottawa.Google Scholar
Trovato, F. & Burch, T.K. (1980) Minority status and fertility in Canada. Can. ethn. Stud. 12, 1.Google Scholar
Trovato, F. & Grindstaff, G.F. (1980) Decomposing the urban–rural fertility differential: Canada, 1971. Rural Sociol. 45, 448.Google Scholar
Verma, R.B.P. (1979) Variations in family size among Canadian women by generation and ethnic group. Int. J. comp. Sociol. 20, 293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar