This book documents the various phases of fertility transition in India. It argues that this transition is best understood as the cumulative effect of behavioural changes - such as delay in marriage and use of contraceptives - which over time has altered social perceptions on fertility. The authors argue that going beyond the formal tools of demography and adopting a qualitative approach would help in understanding the social mechanisms that sustain the diffusion of new family norms.
A strength of the book is its development of an original geographical information system based on the census data from the micro-level. This system maps variations across regions within South India and within each state.