'Who the messenger is matters': Cultural leaders can positively influence population growth

New research finds ‘John Paul II effect’ on boosting fertility in Latin America

ROME – A new study claims that by stressing themes of marriage and family during 13 visits to the region between 1979 and 1996, St. John Paul II was responsible for boosting fertility rates across Latin America, resulting in a quarter-million extra births. The research team at the University of Notre Dame found that although increased fertility was not the direct object of the late pope’s travels, his messaging nevertheless reinforced existing c…

A demanding work culture could be quietly undermining efforts to raise birth rates

China’s falling birth rate has become a major national concern, and a new study published in Biodemography and Social Biology suggests that the country’s demanding work culture may be partly to blame. The research shows that working more than 40 hours a week significantly reduces people’s desire to have children. Overtime, night shifts, and being constantly on call make it harder for people to imagine balancing work and family life — a finding t…

'Who the messenger is matters': Cultural leaders can positively influence population growth

Fertility rates across the world have been steadily dropping since 1950. Pinpointing the reasons—despite the lack of typical causal conditions such as famine or war—is at the heart of one researcher's work at the University of Notre Dame.

The left-wing media is crowing about the decrease in birth rates, even though they are lying. They are not presenting the data from the Central Statistical Office, which shows that the government has indeed protected families.

‘Who the messenger is matters’: Cultural leaders can positively influence population growth

Fertility rates across the world have been steadily dropping since 1950. Pinpointing the reasons — despite the lack of typical causal conditions such as famine or war — is at the heart of one researcher’s work at the University of Notre Dame. Lakshmi Iyer, a professor in the Department of Economics, found that there was more to fertility rates than a simple economic or circumstantial explanation. She learned that understanding social norms leads…