Population and Space in South India

Objectives

This joint FIP-IRD programme aims at analyzing the social and spatial transformations of the contemporary south Indian society. It rests mainly on a research project that examines the geographic contours of fertility decline in the region.

This programme has welcomed several research initiatives focussing on the spatial dimensions of social change and on regional differentials and inequality in South India. Most notably, it brought together four doctoral projects on various themes such as gender, urbanization and maternal health. The contribution of these various perspectives reveals ways of propagating social changes and singular territories which form the structure of some of the phenomena studied.

Materials and methods

The programme started with the constitution of a large database covering all localities of South India (social, demographic, economic, and infrastructure indicators). Simultaneously, data have been digitized on regional geo-referenced maps. This leads to a variety of thematic mapping, for different zones and attributes, and at different scales. Methods for analysis used are numerous: statistical modelling, geostatistical analysis, etc. Some micro-regions were later selected for intensive analysis with complementary fieldwork. Doctoral students associated to the project conducted intensive surveys using mainly questionnaires and qualitative methods. A further dimension of the project consisted in the exploration of new dissemination techniques to share the maps and the data with other users. First, we developed a CD-ROM that incorporated a customized mapping software with the data for Tamil Nadu state. Later on, we prepared with a web atlas with one hundred maps of South India and comments.

Partners

See the linked pages

Funding

See the linked pages

Team

Dr. CZ Guilmoto, Coordinator, Director of Research, IRD (Laboratoire Population Environnement Développement).

Main Outputs

See the linked pages