Poverty and Fertility in India: Demographic Field Theory Perspective

Book Details:

• Author: Shekhar Mukherji

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English, Hindi

• Binding: Hardcover

• ISBN: 8131600858

• Pages: 324

• Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.0 inches

• Release Date: 01-01-2007

About the Book:

"Poverty and Fertility Nexus in India: Demographic Field Theory" addresses two critical and intertwined issues facing India today: abject poverty and high fertility rates. While India is seen as a software superpower, it continues to struggle with these pressing challenges, which are often neglected in demographic studies. The author introduces the Demographic Field Theory, a novel framework to explain the relationship between poverty and fertility, filling a significant gap in existing literature.

The book presents an empirical analysis of demographic, socio-economic, and policy systems using the latest data from sources such as the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS), Census 2001, Sample Registration Survey (SRS), and the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) survey, providing the most up-to-date findings. The study emphasizes that poverty and female illiteracy are key barriers to reducing fertility, and that addressing these issues is essential for India's demographic transition.

Key findings include the consistent relationship between poverty and high fertility rates, underscoring the need for urgent action to reduce poverty and improve female literacy to initiate significant demographic changes.

Contents:

1. Introduction to the Poverty-Fertility Nexus

2. Demographic Field Theory

3. Data and Methodology

4. Canonical Analyses from 1992 to 2004

5. Policy Implications

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

About the Author:

Shekhar Mukherji is an internationally-renowned Population Geographer, Demographer, and Urban Planner. He served as the Professor and Head of the Department of Migration and Urban Studies at the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. He also held the position of Professor and Head of the Geography Department at Visva Bharati.

Mukherji holds two Ph.D. degrees, from Calcutta University and University of Hawaii, and completed his post-doctorate at the Australian National University. With 42 years of experience in academia, his research interests include migration, urbanization, poverty alleviation, demography, fertility behavior, and regional planning. He has authored 32 books and 160 research papers and has been involved in several UN-ESCAP Expert meetings and visiting professorships globally.

Mukherji has dedicated his career to understanding and addressing poverty, and his research continues to contribute significantly to the fields of population studies, economics, and social sciences.