The aim of this article is to overcome the incomplete explanation of previous research findings on the societal determinants of the educational fertility differentials in Europe. Our analysis draws on two overlooked factors, the role of labour market setting and the diffusion of new values. Combining ESS, EVS and WVS data for 2004–2009 with contextual indicators on labour market setting and cultural orientations, our multilevel analysis shows that labour market conditions in terms of share of part time jobs, dimension of public sector employment and strictness of EPL do not systematically modify the gradient of fertility by parities. But instead, we observe a clear moderator effect of attitudinal orientations. Results show that in societies where postmodernism is widespread, both high and low educated women are less likely to have children. A high diffusion of gender egalitarianism is associated with a reduction of the gradient through an increase of the likelihood of having a child especially for higher educated women. This article concludes by highlighting some responses to societal polarization of fertility related to both structural and cultural factors and indicates avenues for future research on the social stratification of fertility.

本文的目的是要克服对欧洲教育生育率差异的社会决定因素先前研究结果的不完整解释。我们的分析基于两个被忽视的因素，即劳动力市场设定的作用和新价值的传播。将2004-2009年的ESS，EVS和WVS数据与劳动力市场环境和文化取向的背景指标相结合，我们的多层次分析表明，就兼职工作的比例，公共部门就业的规模和EPL的严格性而言，劳动力市场状况并不理想。通过平价系统地修改生育率的梯度。但是，相反，我们观察到了态度取向的明显的调节作用。结果表明，在后现代主义普遍存在的社会中，高学历和低学历的妇女都不太可能生育孩子。性别平等主义的高度传播与通过增加生孩子的可能性，特别是高学历妇女的生育率的降低有关。本文的结尾部分着重强调了对与结构和文化因素有关的生育率社会两极分化的一些反应，并指出了有关生育率社会分层的未来研究途径。