Why do parents discriminate against their daughters?
Item
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Title
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Why do parents discriminate against their daughters?
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Identifier
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AAI3310603
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identifier
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3310603
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Creator
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Chaudhuri, Sanjukta.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Michael Grossman
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Date
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2008
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Economics, General | Sociology, Individual and Family Studies
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Abstract
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In an exploration of household gender bias in India, this dissertation uses a two-period model of intra-household resource allocation with uncertainty to address two questions: If parents love their children, then why do they discriminate against their daughters? Are cultural reasons of discrimination separate from economic reasons, or are they inter related?;In India, resource constrained households without pension funds and with limited access to capital markets give preferential treatment to sons over daughters. Lower labor force participation of women and the norm that daughters belong to their husbands' families reduce the probability that a daughter will provide for her parents in their old age. Dowry practices also reduce the marginal return from investment in daughters. Although money price of investment is the same, the opportunity cost of investment in daughter is higher because of her need to do housework, such as cooking, and taking care of younger siblings. A combination of low probability, low marginal return and high price of investment result in lower investment in daughter relative to son.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
