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Many of our seminars and public events this year will continue as in person or as hybrid (online and in person) events.

Please check our website listings and Twitter feed @STICERD_LSE for updates.

Unless otherwise specified, in-person seminars are open to the public. Please ensure you have informed the event contact as early as possible.

Those unable to join the seminars in-person are welcome to participate via zoom if the event is hybrid.

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About this event

This paper examines the impact of son preference on family structure in sub-Saharan Africa using Demographic and Health Surveys data. We investigate how having a firstborn daughter, as opposed to a son, affects women?s likelihood of ever being married, being in a polygamous relationship, and remaining married. Our findings reveal distinct family outcomes for women with a firstborn daughter. They experience higher long-term marriage ates, a reduced likelihood of marrying the father if the birth occurred prior to any formal marital commitment, increased divorce rates, and more frequent entry into polygamous unions. Additionally, they tend to have more children. Using regression discontinuity nalysis along matrilineal-patrilineal ethnic borders, we identify patrilineal tradition as a significant explanatory factor for these outcomes.