Abstract

In this article the progression to a second birth within Europe is studied, with specific attention to the effect of postponement of first births on family expansion. Hypotheses at the individual and the country level are tested with data from the European Social Survey’s second round. The main variables are women’s and their partners’ educational level, division of tasks and role attitudes within the household, and family policy at the macro-level. The analyses point at a role conflict between work and motherhood and a trade-off for women between career and second child. There are indications for possible solutions through the division of tasks within the household and family policy at the national level but these differ between social groups. The results show the importance of interactions with the mother’s age at first birth. Differences in postponement effects are observed between countries as well as between educational levels and families with different role divisions.

How to Cite:

van Eldik, H., (2009) “Rolconflict en het tweede kind: de invloed van opleidingsniveau, genderrollen en gezinsbeleid op tweede geboorteprogressie in Europa”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 30(4), 341–366. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86741