The "strongest support for increasing American fertility comes from Patriarchy and Christian Nationalism," according to a study from Sociological Forum that was published on Wednesday.
Recent, nationally representative data reveal Christian nationalist ideology is the second strongest predictor of support for nationalist pronatalism, second only behind patriarchal attitudes. This association is stronger for men and virtually non-existent among Blacks.
The strongest motivations for increasing American fertility "tend to be about culture and power," according to one of the study's authors, Samuel Perry.
The study defines "White Christian nationalism" as "an ideology that looks to conform American identity and values to those of a traditionalist, ethnicized Christianity."
We expect pronatalist ideology focused on American births is associated with (1) belief that dominant cultural group members (Whites, Christians, men) are threatened and (2) White Christian nationalism.
The authors also theorize that "perceived ethno-cultural threat and desire for ethno-cultural dominance substantially drive 'nationalist pronatalism.'"
In other words, people who "perceive whites and Christians as persecuted" tend to "favor nationalist pronatalism."
Contemporary support for pronatalist ideology focused on American births is thus undergirded not only by attitudes that subordinate women but also (1) an ethno-racially contingent ideology that insists the United States should reflect and institutionalize traditionalist Christian culture and (2) perceptions that Christians and Whites are persecuted.
Despite Malthusian warnings of overpopulation from entities such as the UN and Hollywood that connect having children to subjects such as climate change, many experts and public figures are warning about the drastic decline in global birth rates and the catastrophic societal outcomes that will happen as a result.
Last year, the U.S. birth rate – which has long been below the minimum replacement rate, or the lowest level possible to maintain the population as individuals age and die – rose for the first time in a decade.
Contrary to many predictions by experts over the last two centuries, the growth of human population has led to exponential benefits, including drastically increased scientific understanding, environmental care, technology, and food supply.
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