Author Description

This up-to-date study gives a systematic exposition of the way economists address such topical issues as why the birth rate tends to fall as the standard of living rises, why people are marrying less and divorcing more, and what the effects are of the aging of western populations. Alessandro Cigno provides a survey of the most recent literature and presents its main theoretical results--while offering some new ones--within a simple, coherent framework. Lucid and unified, the book maintains a balance between vigorous theory, intuitive explanation, and discussion of practical implications.