Full Citation

Title: RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE EFFECT OF MARRIAGEABLE MALES ON FEMALE FAMILY HEADSHIP

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2018

ISBN:

ISSN:

DOI: 10.1017/dem.2018.3

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: Female family headship has strong implications for endemic poverty in the United States. Consequently, it is imperative to explore the chief factors that contribute to this problem. Departing from prior literature that places significant weight on welfare-incentive effects, our study highlights the role of male marriageability in explaining the prevalence of never-married female family headship for blacks and whites. Specifically, we examine racial differences in the effect of male marriageability on never-married female headship from 1980 to 2010. By exploiting data from IPUMS-USA ( N = 4,958,722) and exogenous variation from state-level sentencing reforms, the study finds that the decline in the relative supply of marriageable males significantly increases the incidence of never-married female family headship for blacks but not for whites.

Url: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054089218000032/type/journal_article

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Craigie, Terry-Ann; Myers, Samuel L.; Darity, William A.

Periodical (Full): Journal of Demographic Economics

Issue: 3

Volume: 84

Pages: 231-256

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage

Countries: United States