Selectivity, Adaptation, or Disruption? A Comparison of Alternative Hypotheses on the Effects of Migration on Fertility: The Case of Brazil

Abstract

Several major hypotheses have been proposed to explain and predict the effect of migration on fertility. This article conducts a highly disaggregated analysis of migrant and stayer fertility, using Brazilian data for 1976, to ascertain the extent to which the observed patterns of fertility variations are compatible with one or another hypothesis. The study controls for origin, destination, and recency of migration, as well as for age, education, and marital status of migrants and stayers. The regional breakdown consists of a cross-classification of rural/urban status with modern/traditional categories based on the level of economic development of the region.