Within the framework of the HiDo Working Group II (Partner choice, love and marriage), we intend to organize a session at the conference of the European Society for Historical Demography (ESHD) in Madrid, Spain. (March 2-5, 2022)

The past half a century witnessed enormous changes in the domains of partner choice, love and marriage. In the 1960s the second demographic transition unfolded: sexuality and reproduction became disconnected (birth control pill), fertility declined (further), marriage became less popular, while consensual unions, births out of wedlock, divorce and patch-work families were on the rise. While most of these far sweeping changes took place in the second half of the 20th century, their roots are older. Already in the 19th century important transitions were underway: the decline of fertility, rises in age homogamy, increase of kin marriages, illegitimate births and divorce, and the transition from instrumental to romantic partner choice. What was the timing of these transitions and how did they influence each other? What social groups in society were forerunners? And what are the connections between the first and second demographic transition? And how are these demographic changes related to economic, cultural and political developments?

Organizers: Paul Puschmann, Radboud University Nijmegen: Paul.Puschmann@ru.nl and Joana Maria Pujadas-Mora, Open University of Catalonia & Center for Demographic Studies – UAB: jpujadasmo@uoc.edu

Submission procedure: Please send paper proposals to the organizers by September 22, 2021 at the latest.