Research Activities
Research Projects 2024
Intrahousehold Resource Allocation and Human Capital Investment in Polygynous Households in Sub-Saharan Africa
Outline
This research project aims to study intrahousehold resource allocations and human capital investments contrasting monogynous and polygynous households. In particular,
Nagashima – An influential study by Rossi (2019) demonstrated that polygynous wives increase their fertility by shortening birth spacing intervals, as having more children helps wives demand more resources from their husbands. This proposed research attempts to replicate her findings using Kenyan data where economic and cultural backgrounds can be different, yet polygyny is prevalent. It also extends the analysis by considering the consequences of increased fertility by measuring malaria prevalence among children as a human capital investment indicator.
Nikiema – The existing literature documented consumption inequality between individuals of the same household in several contexts. However, the underlying factors that guide these intrahousehold resource allocation is not well understood. Moreover, the allocation of household resources between co-wives and other members in polygamous households has received little attention in the existing studies. In this research, qualitative data will be collected to deepen the understanding of quantitative research results on intrahousehold consumption inequality and joint consumption across monogamous and bigamous gamy households in Burkina Faso.
Period
April 2024 - March 2026
Members
| Role | Member |
|---|---|
| [ Organizer ] | Nagashima, Masaru |
| [ Co-researcher ] | Nikiema, Apollinaire |
*Affiliations are as of April 2024.
Expected Outcome
- Paper Submission to Peer-Reviewed Journal