*In rural labor markets where formal employment is scarce, downward wage rigidity can lead to employment rationing, prompting households to rely on informal labor arrangements. In agrarian economies, labor exchange networks —non‐monetized work exchanges often embedded in kinship and community ties— remain a key feature of rural production systems.
This paper examines how nominal wage rigidity and informal labor exchange interact in rural Thailand. Using high-frequency panel data, I test whether labor exchange networks mitigate the employment declines associated with negative agricultural shocks and nominal wage stickiness, and whether the strength of kinship networks amplifies this smoothing effect.

**Declining fertility rates pose significant social and economic challenges worldwide. Japan has been at the forefront of this trend, experiencing ultra-low fertility since the 1970s despite extensive policy efforts. A key driver is the persistent gender division of labor, where women carry most childcare responsibilities while men focus on market work. This imbalance reduces fertility through two channels: it raises the child penalties associated with motherhood and generates disutility from unequal childcare burdens, particularly among women with more progressive gender views. This paper examines both mechanisms and evaluates how changes in work–life balance policies and gender norms may alter fertility outcomes in the future.