Statement of Current and Future Research Program

S. Philip Morgan, Sociology Department, Duke University
10/28/2006

My research focuses on human fertility. More specifically I ask: what factors explain variation in fertility across populations? A mainstream sociological perspective guides my research. This perspective focuses attention on group-specific structural and cultural factors, such as differences in the nature of patriarchy, or variation in educational and economic institutions. Statistical and demographic techniques, new or unusual data, and particular research opportunities frequently provide leverage, that is, the power to answer key questions convincingly. Leverage plays a key role in my choice of particular research questions and projects. Why study human fertility?  ...more

Representative Publications   (More Publications)

• Morgan, S. Philip, "Is low fertility a 21st century demographic crisis? (PAA Presidential Address).", Demography, vol. 40 no. 4 (2003), pp. 589-603 .
• Quesnel-Vallée, Amélie. and S. Philip. Morgan, "Missing the Target? Correspondence of Fertility Intentions and Behavior in the U.S.", Population Research and Policy Review, vol. 22 no. 5-6 (Winter, 2004), pp. 497-525. .
• Morgan, S. Philip, Sharon Stash, Karen Mason and Herbert Smith, Do women’s power/autonomy differences between Moslems and non-Moslems explain high demand for more children and low contraceptive use among Moslems? Evidence from India, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, Population and Development Review, vol. 28 no. 3 (September, 2002), pp. 515-538 [pdf] .
• Dharmalingam, A. and S. Philip Morgan, Pervasive Muslim/Hindu Fertility Differences in India, Demography, vol. 41 no. 3 (Winter, 2004), pp. 529-546 .
• Pollard, Michael S. and S. Philip Morgan, Emerging parental gender indifference: Sex composition of children and the third birth, American Sociological Review, vol. 67 no. 4 (August, 2002), pp. 600-613 .
• Morgan, S. Philip and Rosalind Berkowitz King, Why Have Children in the 21st Century?, European Journal of Population, vol. 17 (July, 2001), pp. 3-20 [pdf] .
• Morgan, S. Philip and Scott M. Lynch, Demography’s Success and Its Future: The role of Data and, In Population Health and Aging: Strengthening the Dialogue Between Epidemiology, vol. 954 (May, 2001) [pdf] .