Household Formation Systems, Marriage Markets and Society Stability/Resilience

Abstract

Our research project is investigating the linkage between household formation strategies and marriage markets, on the one hand, and national stability and resilience on the other. Our project has two major components: a large-N statistical analysis using the latest data and information, as well as an in-depth case study of West Africa. During the first year, we collected 5,408 new pieces of data added to our existing database, and updated four scales: son preference and sex ratios, practice of child marriage for girls, laws concerning child marriage for girls, and differences between practice and law of child marriage. Each of these scales was also mapped, and those maps are now online. In the second year of the project, we collected 7,681 new pieces of data which were added to the database, and updated eight scales: Legal Restrictions on Abortion, Trafficking of Women, Government Participation by Women, Prevalence and Legality of Cousin Marriage, Prevalence of Patrilocal Marriage, Prevalence and Legal Status of Polygyny, Brideprice/Dowry/Wedding Costs (Type and Prevalence), and the Clan Governance Index, all of which were mapped. During the second year, our co-PI Rebecca Nielsen also spent 6 weeks in West Africa, collecting data for a case study of the effects of polygyny on young male grievance levels. Also during the second year, we developed our theoretical chapters for the final book project. We have also engaged in extensive outreach efforts to make stakeholders aware of our data resources. We have also mentored research projects developed by our student assistants, several of whom have graduated and gone on for graduate work. During the third year of the project, we will be completed all data analysis and started production on a full-length book manuscript. During the fourth and final year of the project, we successfully finished production on the book manuscript.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 27, 2019
Accession Number
AD1076684

Entities

People

  • Valerie Hudson

Organizations

  • Texas A&M University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Case Studies
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of State
  • Families (Human)
  • Foreign Policy
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • International Relations
  • International Security
  • National Security
  • Political Science
  • Public Policy
  • Security
  • Social Sciences
  • Societies
  • United States

Readers

  • Gender and Food Studies
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.