Dharma Arunachalam
Biographic Data
| ID | 205012 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dharma Arunachalam |
| GIVEN NAMES | Dharma |
| FAMILY NAME | Arunachalam |
| SIGNATURE | ARUNACHALAM D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Monash University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2949-7199 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 107 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 29 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 2 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Friends, family and the circulation of used goods
Understanding the Dynamics of Refugee Impact on Employment
Uganda hosts the largest refugee population on the African continent and the third highest worldwide. The country also has one of the world's most progressive refugee policies. Refugees are allowed to work and operate businesses anywhere in the country, which is uncommon in other African countries and beyond. Despite the large refugee population, their impact on employment and the associated dynamics remains poorly understood. This paper explores…
Child Food Deficiency in India
Childhood food deficiency, defined as children’s limited access to a diverse diet in early life, remains a critical issue in India. Using the latest Demographic and Health Survey of India— 2019–2021 National Family Health Survey data (NFHS-5), this paper provides new insights on socio-demographic and regional disparities in dietary diversity failure among children aged 6–23 months. The study employs multivariate analyses to evaluate the influence…
The Trends and Patterns of Informal Housing Practices in Australia
Informal housing is well-documented in the Global South, with emerging evidence of a growing trend in the Global North. However, its hidden nature complicates policy intervention due to challenges in identification and documentation. This study is the first to document informal housing practices in Australian cities using 2021–2022 data gathered through web scraping. The findings reveal a significant weekly gap between demand (103,249) and supply…
Undernutrition among children and its determinants across the parliamentary constituencies of India
In India, undernutrition among children has been extremely critical for the last few decades. Most analyses of undernutrition among Indian children have used the administrative boundaries of a state or a district level as a unit of analysis. This paper departs from such a practice and focuses instead on the political boundaries of a parliamentary constituency (PC) as the unit of analysis. The PC is a critical geopolitical unit where political par…
Repair and maintenance in Australian households
Repair and maintenance of household goods facilitate longer product use lives. These activities can be considered forms of consumption work that may be critical for the realisation of the circular economy but lack visibility and the attribution of value (Hobson et al, 2021). We draw on findings of a survey of 2,717 households across Australia in which respondents were asked about their practices of maintaining and repairing three types of product…
Household Sustainability Labour and the Gendering of Responsibility for Low Waste Living
This article explores the nature of domestic labour involved in sustainability transitions at the household level, with waste reduction as an exemplar. We draw on national survey data (N = 2717) from Australia, and qualitative data from a participatory action project working with 34 householders on experiments in low waste living. We found low waste living was challenging work mentally, physically and interpersonally and required information, ski…
Identity and Belonging Among Chinese Australians
Risk Deciphering Pathways from Women’s Autonomy to Perinatal Deaths in Bangladesh
How does autonomy of women influence maternal high-risk fertility? Evidence from a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh
This study provides evidence on the principal determinants of high-risk fertility - a level of fertility, which is measured through maternal age (less than 20 years and/or more than 34 years), a large number of children (more than 3), and short birth interval (less than 18 months) in Bangladesh. More specifically, this study explores the influences of women's autonomy in decision-making, physical mobility and economic matters on high-risk fertili…
Religious diversity through a super-diversity lens
Melbourne's religious diversity is increasing. This article reveals distinctive new configurations of ethno-religious diversity arising from immigration and residential mobility at a fine spatial level in different parts of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities - Melbourne. Using the lens of super-diversity, we see beyond multicultural groups to intersections of diversities, and identify new types of ethno-religious compound in neighbourhoo…
Understanding the Lived Experiences of Housing and Transport Stress in the “Affordable” Outer Ring
Australia’s large cities have some of the least affordable housing markets in the world. Australian home buyers are increasingly trading accessibility for affordability in the suburban fringe. This paper presents data collected in 73 qualitative interviews conducted across three strategically selected outer-ring suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. The findings illustrate how the combined impacts of housing and transportation costs are experienced in…
Households in sustainability transitions
The uneven expansion of electricity supply in India
Social support from bonding and bridging relationships in disaster recovery
Downshifting to care
Intimate Partner Violence and Contraceptive Use in India
Several studies report that women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are less likely to use contraception, but the evidence that violence consistently constrains contraceptive use is inconclusive. One plausible explanation for this ambiguity is that the effects of violence on contraceptive use depend on whether couples are likely to have conflicting attitudes to it. In particular, although some men may engage in violence to prevent their …
Political Boundary Versus Social Context
Using data from India’s first (1992–93) and third (2005–06) National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-I and NFHS-III) this study examined the fertility differentials between major social groups and the extent to which these varied between states and over time. The analysis was based on a sample of 54,030 and 55,369 currently married women aged 15–34 in the NFHS-I and NFHS-III respectively. Reported parity and desired family size were used to assess va…
Measuring housing and transportation affordability
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World examines the ways in which two very different societies, Australia and Japan, have dealt with challenges to their cultural and institutional fabric
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World
Shift in the use of migrant community languages in Australia
In this paper, we first explore the trends in the maintenance of migrant community languages among the first generation migrants and then the socio-economic variation in the shift in use of community languages. Our analysis showed that language shift to English among first generation migrants has not been uniform, with some migrant groups adopting English as a home language at a much faster rate than others. Gender and duration of residence had s…
Explaining the Fertility Puzzle in Sri Lanka
Fertility transition in Sri Lanka began in the mid-1960s and the declining trend continued over the decades. The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2000 showed the total fertility rate (TFR) reaching 1.9 births per woman, a level below replacement fertility. The next DHS of 2006/7 showed a TFR of 2.3. Some have interpreted this pattern as indicating a reversal of the fertility transition. This paper casts doubts on the below-replacement ferti…
Family connectedness, school attachment, peer influence and health-compromising behaviours among young Vietnamese males
Vietnamese males have one of the highest rates of smoking and alcohol consumption in the world. Research on the role of social and family resources in promoting healthy behaviours among Vietnamese youth is very limited. We examine the proposition that family support, attachment to school and peer influence are strongly associated with cigarette use, alcohol consumption and violence among Vietnamese youth. We used data from a nationally representa…
Representing harmony and diversity
This article investigates multiculturalism and ethnicity in Singapore. The study conducted a qualitative content analysis of articles appearing in the Straits Times newspaper over a three month period in 2010. It was found that multicultural harmony tended to be represented as unnatural, fragile, and requiring government intervention. There also tended to be a focus on distinct and fixed ethnic identities, reflecting an essentialist understanding…
Utilization of maternal health care services in Southern India
Measuring housing and transportation affordability
The Determinants of Low Fertility in India
Using a conceptual framework focusing on factors that enhance or reduce fertility relative to desired family size (see Bongaarts 2001), we study fertility variation across time (1992–2006) and space (states) in India. Our empirical analyses use data from three waves of the Indian National Family Health Surveys. We find that this framework can account for a substantial portion of the variation in the total fertility rate (TFR) over time and across…
Household Sustainability Labour and the Gendering of Responsibility for Low Waste Living
This article explores the nature of domestic labour involved in sustainability transitions at the household level, with waste reduction as an exemplar. We draw on national survey data (N = 2717) from Australia, and qualitative data from a participatory action project working with 34 householders on experiments in low waste living. We found low waste living was challenging work mentally, physically and interpersonally and required information, ski…
Shift in the use of migrant community languages in Australia
In this paper, we first explore the trends in the maintenance of migrant community languages among the first generation migrants and then the socio-economic variation in the shift in use of community languages. Our analysis showed that language shift to English among first generation migrants has not been uniform, with some migrant groups adopting English as a home language at a much faster rate than others. Gender and duration of residence had s…
It feels more important than other classes I have done
This article reports on research into the development, teaching and student experiences of a one-semester subject designed to provide an undergraduate research experience in the social sciences. The subject was offered for the first time in 2009 in a large sociology program at a major research-intensive Australian university. Our findings are significant because they confirm findings from research with students engaged in undergraduate research e…
Religious diversity through a super-diversity lens
Melbourne's religious diversity is increasing. This article reveals distinctive new configurations of ethno-religious diversity arising from immigration and residential mobility at a fine spatial level in different parts of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities - Melbourne. Using the lens of super-diversity, we see beyond multicultural groups to intersections of diversities, and identify new types of ethno-religious compound in neighbourhoo…
Representing harmony and diversity
This article investigates multiculturalism and ethnicity in Singapore. The study conducted a qualitative content analysis of articles appearing in the Straits Times newspaper over a three month period in 2010. It was found that multicultural harmony tended to be represented as unnatural, fragile, and requiring government intervention. There also tended to be a focus on distinct and fixed ethnic identities, reflecting an essentialist understanding…
Downshifting to care
Maintaining solidarity across generations in New Zealand
This paper establishes the key factors influencing functional solidarity—the material and emotional support mid‐life New Zealanders provide to an ageing parent or in‐law. Using the theoretical framework of intergenerational family solidarity, empirical analysis draws on the 1997 Transactions in the Mid‐Life Family survey of individuals aged 40–54. Results indicate that mature, adult children with no partner and living far from their parent are th…
Utilization of maternal health care services in Southern India
Maintaining solidarity across generations in New Zealand
This paper establishes the key factors influencing functional solidarity—the material and emotional support mid‐life New Zealanders provide to an ageing parent or in‐law. Using the theoretical framework of intergenerational family solidarity, empirical analysis draws on the 1997 Transactions in the Mid‐Life Family survey of individuals aged 40–54. Results indicate that mature, adult children with no partner and living far from their parent are th…
It feels more important than other classes I have done
This article reports on research into the development, teaching and student experiences of a one-semester subject designed to provide an undergraduate research experience in the social sciences. The subject was offered for the first time in 2009 in a large sociology program at a major research-intensive Australian university. Our findings are significant because they confirm findings from research with students engaged in undergraduate research e…
Cohorts and community
BACKGROUND: Community engagement is an increasingly important requirement of public health research and plays an important role in the informed consent and recruitment process. However, there is very little guidance about how it should be done, the indicators for assessing effectiveness of the community engagement process and the impact it has on recruitment, retention, and ultimately on the quality of the data collected as part of longitudinal c…
The rural bite in population pyramids
The health services needs of an older population will tend towards chronic conditions, rather than the typically acute conditions of childhood. The relatively greater number of older people in the rural population suggest a very different health services mix need. Community based population monitoring provides critical information to inform health systems
The Determinants of Low Fertility in India
Using a conceptual framework focusing on factors that enhance or reduce fertility relative to desired family size (see Bongaarts 2001), we study fertility variation across time (1992–2006) and space (states) in India. Our empirical analyses use data from three waves of the Indian National Family Health Surveys. We find that this framework can account for a substantial portion of the variation in the total fertility rate (TFR) over time and across…
Explaining the Fertility Puzzle in Sri Lanka
Fertility transition in Sri Lanka began in the mid-1960s and the declining trend continued over the decades. The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2000 showed the total fertility rate (TFR) reaching 1.9 births per woman, a level below replacement fertility. The next DHS of 2006/7 showed a TFR of 2.3. Some have interpreted this pattern as indicating a reversal of the fertility transition. This paper casts doubts on the below-replacement ferti…
Family connectedness, school attachment, peer influence and health-compromising behaviours among young Vietnamese males
Vietnamese males have one of the highest rates of smoking and alcohol consumption in the world. Research on the role of social and family resources in promoting healthy behaviours among Vietnamese youth is very limited. We examine the proposition that family support, attachment to school and peer influence are strongly associated with cigarette use, alcohol consumption and violence among Vietnamese youth. We used data from a nationally representa…
Representing harmony and diversity
This article investigates multiculturalism and ethnicity in Singapore. The study conducted a qualitative content analysis of articles appearing in the Straits Times newspaper over a three month period in 2010. It was found that multicultural harmony tended to be represented as unnatural, fragile, and requiring government intervention. There also tended to be a focus on distinct and fixed ethnic identities, reflecting an essentialist understanding…
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World examines the ways in which two very different societies, Australia and Japan, have dealt with challenges to their cultural and institutional fabric
Creating Social Cohesion in an Interdependent World
Shift in the use of migrant community languages in Australia
In this paper, we first explore the trends in the maintenance of migrant community languages among the first generation migrants and then the socio-economic variation in the shift in use of community languages. Our analysis showed that language shift to English among first generation migrants has not been uniform, with some migrant groups adopting English as a home language at a much faster rate than others. Gender and duration of residence had s…
Political Boundary Versus Social Context
Using data from India’s first (1992–93) and third (2005–06) National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-I and NFHS-III) this study examined the fertility differentials between major social groups and the extent to which these varied between states and over time. The analysis was based on a sample of 54,030 and 55,369 currently married women aged 15–34 in the NFHS-I and NFHS-III respectively. Reported parity and desired family size were used to assess va…
Measuring housing and transportation affordability
Intimate Partner Violence and Contraceptive Use in India
Several studies report that women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are less likely to use contraception, but the evidence that violence consistently constrains contraceptive use is inconclusive. One plausible explanation for this ambiguity is that the effects of violence on contraceptive use depend on whether couples are likely to have conflicting attitudes to it. In particular, although some men may engage in violence to prevent their …
Social support from bonding and bridging relationships in disaster recovery
Downshifting to care
Understanding the Lived Experiences of Housing and Transport Stress in the “Affordable” Outer Ring
Australia’s large cities have some of the least affordable housing markets in the world. Australian home buyers are increasingly trading accessibility for affordability in the suburban fringe. This paper presents data collected in 73 qualitative interviews conducted across three strategically selected outer-ring suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. The findings illustrate how the combined impacts of housing and transportation costs are experienced in…
Households in sustainability transitions
The uneven expansion of electricity supply in India
Risk Deciphering Pathways from Women’s Autonomy to Perinatal Deaths in Bangladesh
How does autonomy of women influence maternal high-risk fertility? Evidence from a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh
This study provides evidence on the principal determinants of high-risk fertility - a level of fertility, which is measured through maternal age (less than 20 years and/or more than 34 years), a large number of children (more than 3), and short birth interval (less than 18 months) in Bangladesh. More specifically, this study explores the influences of women's autonomy in decision-making, physical mobility and economic matters on high-risk fertili…
Religious diversity through a super-diversity lens
Melbourne's religious diversity is increasing. This article reveals distinctive new configurations of ethno-religious diversity arising from immigration and residential mobility at a fine spatial level in different parts of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities - Melbourne. Using the lens of super-diversity, we see beyond multicultural groups to intersections of diversities, and identify new types of ethno-religious compound in neighbourhoo…
Identity and Belonging Among Chinese Australians
The Trends and Patterns of Informal Housing Practices in Australia
Informal housing is well-documented in the Global South, with emerging evidence of a growing trend in the Global North. However, its hidden nature complicates policy intervention due to challenges in identification and documentation. This study is the first to document informal housing practices in Australian cities using 2021–2022 data gathered through web scraping. The findings reveal a significant weekly gap between demand (103,249) and supply…
Sociology (24 works) · Economics (15 works) · Political science (14 works) · Economic growth (11 works) · Demography (10 works) · Geography (10 works) · Population (9 works) · Socioeconomics (9 works) · Environmental health (8 works) · Global Maternal and Child Health (8 works)