Events

Ukraine has been experiencing one of the most severe population declines of any country in the world for decades. Although relatively high death rates and emigration have fuelled the population decline, the main driver has been persistent low fertility. Ukraine achieved the world’s lowest fertility rate of 1.1 in 2001 and while fertility recuperated to 1.5 by 2011, it plunged again to 1.23 in 2019. Throughout this period, economic, and political unrest has wracked the country, with civil war breaking out in 2014, resulting in around 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). The situation has led to uncertainty in individuals’ lives, inevitably influencing childbearing decisions and plans.

In this talk, I will discuss two studies aimed at better understanding Ukraine’s population challenges. First, using survey data, I will present an investigation on the subjective well-being of people internally displaced after the separatist war in the east of Ukraine. Second, I will present results from online focus group discussions conducted in eastern Ukraine in July 2021 to understand Ukrainians’ perceptions about population change, including low fertility, fertility intentions, and childlessness. Finally, I will reflect on the implications of the current war on the population of Ukraine, and what it means to conduct research when one’s research sites have been annihilated.

The Sociology Seminar Series for Hilary Term is convened by Ginevra Floridi, Ramina Sotoudeh and Benjamin Elbers.  For more information about this or any of the seminars in the series, please contact sociology.secretary@nuffield.ox.ac.uk.