![]() ![]() ![]() Much research in Tamil Nadu has documented the dramatic fertility decline that occurred over the last half-century alongside relatively high indicators of gender equality, including an apparent absence of son preference ( Dyson and Moore 1983, Das Gupta et al. The southern state of Tamil Nadu has long been regarded as a demographic and social outlier in India. The study described here attempts to throw light on the complex interplay between traditional and modern beliefs that influence family fertility patterns in a region of one state in India (Tamil Nadu), but which may be illustrative of a larger phenomenon. He argued for more research into the traditional cultural values that perpetuate female disadvantage. Indeed, in 2003 Amartya Sen commented that ‘Sex bias in natality calls for intensive research today in the same way that sex bias in mortality – the earlier source of “missing women” – did more than a decade ago …’ ( Sen 2003, p. Although sex preference and sex-selective practices in India that disfavour women have received much scholarly attention, they are not yet fully understood.
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