Chapter 8: Life Trajectories and Reproductive Strategies of Costa Rican Households: An Intergenerational Perspective

This research aims to analyze, from the perspective of family life trajectories, the intergenerational changes in the reproductive strategies of Costa Rican households. The four strategies explored are fertility and marriage, educational, economic, social and symbolic. Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction strategies is the frame of reference to study these strategies. Also, the second demographic transition (SDT) is used to contextualize intergenerational changes. The family life trajectories of three generations in different geographic locations and socioeconomic contexts were reconstructed through interviews. A generational triad was chosen for the interviews; the generational triad refers to three generations of the same consanguineous family. One interview was conducted per generation in each triad, 3 per triad, and 15 in total. Generationally, changes in the types and forms of households are identified; they are dynamic households that change their composition as part of the kinship and family support networks undertaken. The first generation with a single marriage, secondary economic role, not least, but within the priority household. Second generations of one or more unions, in the cases of second unions, unlike the first ones, are unions with shared responsibilities. And the third generation with an independent life, living in an apartment with roommates, or who at their parents’ age still live in the dwelling with them, at ages when they already had families and independent life. Finally, this work seeks to discuss whether the dynamics of household transformations are influenced by the socioeconomic context of each household and each generation.