Maternal investments in children: the role of expected effort and returns

Inequalities in child developmental outcomes emerge early in life and persist, with parents playing a critical role in determining these differences. MiSoC researcher Professor Sonia Bhalotra investigates the importance of subjective expectations of returns to and effort costs of the two main investments that mothers make in newborns: breastfeeding and stimulation

How leader identity impacts group coordination

In principle, leaders can facilitate group coordination towards a common goal but in diverse societies, their effectiveness may depend upon their social identity, and how citizens react to leader identity. Sonia Bhalotra and co-authors Irma Clots-Figueras (Madrid), Lakshmi Iyer (Notre Dame) and Joseph Vecci (Gothenburg) investigate in a blog for Ideas for India.

Lower child mortality: a boost to women’s labour market opportunities

In a blog for Global Dev, MiSoC’s Professor Sonia Bhalotra together with Atheendar Venkataramani (Perelman School of Medicine) and Selma Walther (applied microeconomist) investigate whether public investments in reducing child mortality may encourage women into greater economic activity.

Does women’s education reduce rates of death in childbirth?

Maternal mortality rates need to be reduced by two-thirds over the next 15 years to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. New research by Professor Sonia Bhalotra (University of Essex) and Professor Damian Clarke (University of Santiago de Chile) shows that a focus on girls’ education may be one means of meeting this objective.