Gender as a Fundamental Force in Demography

Gender relations permeate every aspect of demographic behavior, from decisions about education and career to partnerships, parenthood, and caregiving in old age. The Institute of Experimental Demography places the study of gender dynamics at the center of its research agenda. We investigate how norms, policies, and economic structures related to gender shape and are shaped by population trends. Our approach is comparative and causal, using cross-national natural experiments (like changes in paternity leave laws or marriage regulations) and survey experiments to understand the mechanisms linking gender equality to demographic outcomes. We move beyond simple measures like female labor force participation to study the distribution of unpaid domestic work, bargaining power within households, and attitudes toward gender roles, and how these factors influence fertility, union formation and dissolution, and health disparities.

Key Research Questions and Methodological Approaches

A primary focus is the relationship between gender equality and fertility. The long-standing 'lowest-low fertility' puzzle in some gender-egalitarian societies challenges simple theories. We use detailed time-use data and policy shocks to test more nuanced hypotheses. For instance, we analyze countries that suddenly introduced 'daddy quotas' in parental leave—non-transferable periods reserved for fathers. Using a difference-in-differences design comparing these countries to similar ones without such reforms, we measure the impact on fathers' involvement in childcare, mothers' labor market attachment, and subsequent fertility decisions. This research helps identify the specific policy configurations that support both gender equity and family formation.

We also study changing patterns of union formation and stability. As women's economic independence has grown, the traditional economic foundations of marriage have shifted. We employ experimental vignette studies to understand how traits like earning potential, domestic skills, and egalitarian attitudes are valued differently by men and women in potential partners today. We also analyze the causal impact of no-fault divorce laws and domestic violence protections on marriage, divorce, and cohabitation rates, as well as on intra-household dynamics and women's well-being.

Another critical area is gendered health and mortality. Why do women live longer but often with more years of disability? We investigate biosocial pathways, examining how gendered stressors, social roles, and health behaviors interact with biology. Natural experiments, like sudden changes in women's political representation or property rights, allow us to study whether gains in societal gender equality lead to reductions in the male-female mortality gap or improvements in maternal health outcomes.

• The Domestic Labor Imbalance Study: Uses longitudinal data and fixed-effects models to estimate how changes in the division of housework affect relationship satisfaction and stability.
• Gender Norms Intervention Trial: Tests school-based curricula designed to challenge stereotypical gender norms and tracks their long-term effects on educational choices and family aspirations.
• Sex Ratios and Marriage Markets: Exploits natural variations in sex ratios at birth (due to past preferences or policies) to study their causal impact on dowry, bride trafficking, and men's marriage behavior.
• Caregiving and Labor Force Exit: Analyzes pension policy changes to understand their gendered effects on retirement decisions, particularly for those providing elder care.

Toward a Demography of Gender Justice

Our research consistently shows that policies ignoring gender dynamics are likely to fail or have unintended consequences. We advocate for a gender-lens in all demographic policy, from family planning programs that engage men as partners to pension reforms that account for women's discontinuous careers. We also highlight the diversity of gender experiences, studying how these dynamics play out for transgender and non-binary individuals, a rapidly growing area of demographic inquiry. By producing rigorous evidence on how progress toward gender equality reshapes populations, the Institute of Experimental Demography provides a crucial knowledge base for building more equitable societies. Our work underscores that demographic sustainability is inextricably linked to social justice, and that understanding gender is not a niche concern but central to forecasting and shaping the human future.