Type of occupation and the transition to parenthood in Sweden

Sofi Ohlsson, Stockholm University

This study aims to expand the theoretical understanding of the work-family nexus by studying the relationship between type of occupation and the transition to parenthood in Sweden. Men and women might face different possibilities to reconcile family and work depending on the characteristics of their occupation and might therefore have differential transitions to parenthood. Applying event-history techniques to Swedish register data allows relating a uniquely precise specification of occupation to the propensity of becoming a parent, thus taking the heterogeneity of labor-market experiences into proper account. Important aspects of occupations are the security of the employments, flexibility in work conditions and gender distribution in different sectors of the labor-market. Possible self-selection into labor-market sectors and family forms are also addressed, as well as possible cultures of reproduction in different social groups. Including both sexes in the analysis enables improved knowledge about the relationship between employment, family behavior and gender.