Dr. James Raymo

Biography

Jim Raymo is a social demographer whose research focuses on documenting and understanding the causes and potential consequences of demographic changes associated with population aging in Japan. His published research includes analyses of marriage timing, divorce, recession fertility, women's health, single mothers’ well-being, living alone, family change, social inequality, employment, health in older ages, and regional differences in health among the elderly. He is currently engaged in projects that utilize newly available survey data to examine the socioeconomic and family correlates of children's academic performance, personal relationships, and emotional health. This includes a collaborative project with scholars addressing similar questions in China and Korea. Another project explores the social, cultural, economic, and policy factors underlying striking demographic similarities between countries in East Asia and Southern Europe, with a particular focus on the roles of gender inequality, family ties, and the growing unpredictability of the life course. Additionally, Raymo is chairing a scientific panel on the subject sponsored by the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population. He is also working with colleagues in Japan to document the well-being of single mothers and their children, aiming to understand the ways in which intergenerational coresidence and intrafamilial exchanges can support or offset disadvantages faced by unmarried mothers.

Research Interests