This project aims to produce a novel quantitative indicator of gender preference, to map and analyse the geography of son preference in India, contrasts and changes. This will enable quantitatively evaluating policies aiming at promoting the Girl Child in India, using a state level Policy database produced in prior project.
Department: Geography & Environmental Science
Supervised by: Sylvie Dubuc
Son preference linked to classical patriarchy has resulted in historical trends of discrimination against girls, excess girl mortality and since the 1980s prenatal sex selection against females in India. In order to address the underlying causes of such demographic trends, a number of local, state level and national policies have been proposed to promote the girl child in India in the last two decades (Bhandari, 2019). Evaluation of such policies remain limited, largely due to the lack of appropriate indicators (WHO interagency statement). We have recently developed quantitative indicators that allow to measure son preference and trends in prenatal sex selection for the first time (Dubuc and Sivia, 2018).This project aims to further develop and apply indicators of son preference and analyse the geography of son preference across Indian states and over time. Ultimately, this would allow to quantitatively evaluating the impact of policies aiming at promoting the Girl Child in India.This project will benefit from the policy database of the completed UROP project ‘Mapping Government Schemes to promote the Girl Child in India’ by Natasha Bhandari. The final collaborative component between the two UROP projects is proposed to The project will match the mapped policies at state level to the corresponding new measure of son preference produced allowing to quantitatively evaluate implemented policies in India.
• The student will get familiar to key social science publications on the topic and with the demographic research most relevant to the analytical work. • The student will collect the demographic data (including sex-ratio at birth and total fertility indicators) necessary to calculate the novel indicator of son preference. The supervisors have already partly collected the relevant demographic data but some complementary collection may be necessary. • The data collected will be used to i) calculate the indicator of sex-selection propensity recently proposed in Dubuc and Sivia (2018) and building on this ii) calculate the novel indicator of son-preference. This tasks will be undertaken under the close supervision of the supervisor on the project. • Subject to the student’s knowledge, ability and interest, cartographic and/or other infographic tools will be chosen and used to show and analyse the geography of son preference and changes over time. • The measures will be matched to identified policies and correlations will be explored
• An interest in population studies, gender issues and policy is essential • Some familiarity using excel for data analysis is expected. • A good numerical proficiency, familiarity with quantitative methods and descriptive statistics (and infographics) is essential • The ability to create digital maps would be a clear advantage • An understanding of and experience using basic demographic methods is an advantage • Some familiarity with the Indian context and/or the issue of son preference would also be an advantage.
• Gain interdisciplinary, hands on research experience and knowledge in the issue of son preference/ girls discrimination and policy in India • Strengthen and diversify her/his quantitative skills and understanding of demographic methods. • Experience applying infographic/cartographic tools for data analysis and communication of findings • Gain team work experience, managing time, and experience in the research process, including contributing to the design, data collection and analysis, communication of the research • The student will gain experience working with, and as part of an international interdisciplinary team, undertaking innovative research. • Contribute to the production of planned research outputs.
Reading, Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences
6 weeks FT
Monday 15 June 2020 - Friday 24 July 2020
The deadline to apply for this project is Monday 11th May at 5pm. Students should submit their CV and Cover Letter directly to the Project Supervisor (click on supervisor name at the top of the page for email). Short-listed candidates will then be invited to interview.