Box 1916

Maxcy Hall

112 George Street

Providence, RI 02912

Telephone: (401) 863-2367

Sociology@brown.edu

 

M.A. in Sociology, Brown University

Contact Information:
Brown University
Department of Sociology
Box 1916
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: (401) 861-7296
Fax: (401) 863-3213
Afra_Chowdhury@brown.edu

Year of Entry: 2002

Previous Degrees:
M.A. Brown University - 2003
M.S.S. University of Dhaka, Dep. of Economics (Bangladesh) - 1999
B.S.S. (Hons.) University of Dhaka, Department of Economics (Bangladesh) - 1997

Curriculum Vitae

General Areas of Interest:
Social Demography, Marriage and Family, Intra-household Resource Allocation, Gender, Migration, Fertility and Reproductive Health, Quantitative Methods

Research Interest:
My general research interests are in social demography, with a primary focus on family demography and sociology. My primary research focuses on investigating the impact of existing social institutions on union formation, family and household. I am also interested in relationships between gender and work, and how gender and class intersect to influence family processes and other institutions in the society. In addition, transition to adulthood and risky behavior is another area I find fascinating. I also have worked on internal migration and the role of ethnicity in choice of migration destination and its macro level outcome. My current researches are elaborated below.

My dissertation examines the institution of dowry in the context of rural India at both micro and macro level. At the macro level, the increasing prevalence of dowry practice and the change in the average dowry paid by caste and class over time for the last three decades has been analyzed. By decomposing dowry into groomprice and brideprice, I investigate the factors influencing the practice of dowry and the amount paid as dowry at the micro level. Using a nationally representative data of rural India, my findings suggest that even though the prevalence of dowry practice has increased in India for last three decades, the real value of the amount paid has declined over time. I did not find any significant differences in the practice of groomprice or brideprice between the North and the South as was suggested earlier in the literature. Groom’s landholding and bride’s level of education are the most influential factors among others affecting the amount paid as dowry.

My other research, with Professor David Lindstrom and Manuel Angel Castillo, examines ethnic differences in internal migration patterns in Guatemala. After exploring the migration patterns for the two main ethnic groups, we are trying to explain the segregated migration preferences and choice of destination for the two groups.

I have also worked on the effect of family status and relationship quality with parents on teenager’s risky sexual behavior. Special attention is given at the role of disability on risky behavior (with Carrie Alexandrowicz). Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, this project explores the mechanisms that influence youth with special health care needs to engage in sexual behaviors that increase adolescent health risk. We also examine the extent to which the effect of disability is mediated by family and socioeconomic status.