Post-soviet demographic paradoxes: Ethnic differences in marriage and fertility in Kazakhstan

The dramatic and generalized socioeconomic and political crisis that follow ed the collapse of the socialist system has produced unique demographic res ponses in the former Soviet Union. This study addresses the differences in nuptiality and early fertility before and after the onset of the crisis and between the indigenous and European-origin population in Kazakhstan. Drawi ng on data from the 1995 Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Survey, this stu dy finds that, contrary to the logical expectation, European-origin women a re significantly more likely to marry earlier than indigenous women, and th is difference has become even more pronounced during the crisis. However, t he crisis is also associated with a longer interval between first marriage and first birth among European-origin women. The analysis shows that Europe an-origin women prolong this interval through increasing use of contracepti on and abortion. The study attempts to link these findings to the sociopoli tical and ethnic climate in Kazakhstan and to changing meanings of and atti tudes toward marriage and childbearing.