This is a revised PhD dissertation defended at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy Belgrade. The aim of the study was to examine reproductive practices in the Kruševac region at the end of 20th century. The basic units of observation were families with one, three or no children, from both urban and rural areas. The starting point is that the causes of low birthrates ought to be sought in the patriarchal system of relations within the family and in society, and in the resulting remarkably unfavorable position of the woman. The author was motivated by the idea to explain changing fertility at the global societal level through analyzing parenthood practices in everyday life of partners within the family, so that empirical data may be taken as a basis to propose measures and activities aiming at resolving these problems.
