The G. S. Watson Annual Lecture, 2009
Dr Rebecca Kippen
Title: "Do Australian parents want both a son and a daughter?"
Presenter: Dr Rebecca Kippen, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, Australian National University
Date: Thursday, 20 August 2009, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, Room 3.03 - Applied Science 1 Building, La Trobe University, Bendigo
Abstract: Research internationally has found that parents in many countries hold strong preferences when it comes to the sex of their children. In general, sons are preferred in India and China, while in Europe and English-speaking countries there is a bias towards at least one boy and one girl.
Using analysis of Australian survey and census data, Dr Kippen investigates whether Australian parents want 'one of each', whether women prefer daughters and men prefer sons (or vice versa), and what Australians think about sex-selection technology including the hypothetical 'blue' and 'pink' pills.
About the Presenter: Rebecca Kippen completed a Bachelor of Business at La Trobe University, Bendigo, before undertaking postgraduate study in Demography at the Australian National University. She is now a Fellow in the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute at the Australian National University.
Rebecca's research interests include fertility modelling, Australian population futures and historical demography. Her work with Professor Peter McDonald and others has contributed significantly to the public debate in areas such as population growth and immigration. The research discussed in this lecture was funded by the Australian Research Council under grant DP0558818 and was carried out with Ann Evans and Edith Gray.