I. Key Social and Demographic Trends
A. Key Demographic Trends
1. European birth rates rose in the 1950s but then began a sustained decline.
2. As a result of decolonization, former colonial peoples migrated to Europe.
3. Immigration from North America and the Middle East created significant Muslim populations in many Western European countries.
4. Attracted by economic opportunities, southern Europeans migrated to northern Europe.
B. Key Changes in Women’s Right and Roles
1. Led by Simone de Beauvoir, European feminists called attention to social problems that women faced and also emphasized the need for women to control their own lives.
2. Major feminist goals included the following:
a. Expanded employment opportunities
b. Expanded child-care facilities
c. Improved access to birth control information
d. Liberalized divorce laws
3. During the postwar period, European women married earlier and had fewer children.
4. Employment rates for married women dramatically increased.