Publication Abstract

Bhandari, Prem B. 2004. “Relative Deprivation and Migration in an Agricultural Setting of Nepal.” Population and Environment 25(5):475-499.

Are individuals from a relatively more deprived household more likely to migrate for work reasons compared to those from a relatively less deprived household? In this paper, I have empirically tested the relative deprivation hypothesis of migration put forth by Oded Stark and his colleagues. I used data from 1465 farming households in a rural agricultural setting of Nepal. The data was collected from the western Chitwan Valley in 1996. With these data, I used a logistic regression analysis technique to examine the influence of relative deprivation on migration. My findings support the hypothesis that individuals from households with relatively less access to cultivated land are more likely to migrate in search of work compared to those from a relatively well-off household with more land holdings. My findings can be useful in understanding the significance of relative deprivation in household migration decisions where access to cultivable land is declining due to land fragmentation as a result of population growth and land division by inheritance.

DOI: 10.1023/B:POEN.0000036931.73465.79

Publication Abstract

Hoelter, Lynette F., William G. Axinn, and Dirgha J. Ghimire. 2004. “Social Change, Premarital Non-Family Experiences, and Marital Dynamics.” Journal of Marriage and Family 66:1131-1151.

We investigate the effects of nonfamily experiences on marital relationships in a setting characterized by high levels of arranged marriage until recently. Drawing on theoretical frameworks for the study of families and social change, we argue that the expansion of opportunities for nonfamily experiences will increase the likelihood of marital relationships based on an emotional bond between husbands and wives. Using data from 3,724 individuals in rural Nepal, we find consistent effects of educational experiences across multiple dimensions of marriage. These effects point toward the spread of education as a stimulus to marriages characterized by higher levels of love and discussions between spouses, and lower levels of conflict and spouse abuse. Results suggest that studies of marital dynamics in non-Western settings provide a fruitful avenue for new research on marriage.

DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00083.x

Publication Abstract

Barber, Jennifer S., and William G. Axinn. 2004. “New Ideas and Fertility Limitation: The Role of Mass Media.” Journal of Marriage and Family 66:1180-1200.

This article investigates the mass media as a social change that shapes individual behavior primarily via ideational mechanisms. We construct a theoretical framework drawing on social demography and social psychology to explain how mass media may affect behavior via attitudinal change. Empirical analyses of 1,091 couples in the Chitwan Valley Family Study, using detailed measures of social change from rural Nepal, show that exposure to the mass media is related to childbearing behavior, and to preferences for smaller families, weaker son preferences, and tolerance of contraceptive use. This result should motivate greater research attention to the influence of changing ideas on behavioral changes, particularly in the study of families.

DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00086.x