Dr. Koyel Sarkar
Social Scientist | Demography | Sociology
I am a sociologist / demographer with expertise in various facets of the Indian population, society, and culture. I use various statistical tools over demographic datasets to address social research questions. I am particularly interested in understanding the shifting pathways to family formation, marriage-fertility linkage, sociocultural underpinnings, and changing gender equity in light of the rapidly modernizing society in India. I am currently working as a Postdoctoral Associate at the New York University, Abu Dhabi. I completed my Ph.D. from Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, with the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS-ASP) grant. Before my doctoral studies, I completed M.A. and M.Phil. degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University as a NET-JRF/SRF candidate.
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Research Interests
Marriage and Family; Kinship Dynamics; Infertility and Childlessness; Assortative Mating; Cultural Adaptability of Migrants; Maternal and Child Health; Digital Sociology; India and South Asia; Quantitative and Mixed Methods.
Published Work
Journals
2024
Marriage and Family Review 60 (2): 76-108, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2024.2304725
SARKAR, K. and Rizzi, E. L.
2022
SARKAR, K.
Demographic Research, 46 (28): 809-848. DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2022.46.28
2021
BAUDIN, T. and SARKAR, K.
Population, 76 (3): 461-486. DOI: 10.3917/popu.2103.0491
Book Chapters
SARKAR, K. (2024)
An Atlas of Gender and Health Inequalities in India, Demographic Transformation and Socio-Economic Development. Vol (16)., Springer Nature. Editor: Christophe Z. Guilmoto. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47847-5_19
SARKAR, K. (2019)
Contemporary Health Issues in India: Challenges and Responses, New Delhi: Rajesh Publications, First Edition. (ISBN No: 978-81-94186-68-7).
SARKAR, K. (2016)
MONOGRAPH, Population and Development, India. (ISBN No: 978-92-82411-11-6).
BANERJEE, A. and SARKAR, K. (2016)
Development, Security and Regional Cooperation in Central and South Asia: Euro-Asian Perspectives, Sweden: Stockholm University Press, 2016 (ISBN No: 978-81-827-4864-4).
SARKAR, K. (2012)
International Congress on Social & Cultural Studies, Vol-1, 53-63 (ISBN No: 978-84-612- 8475-7)
SARKAR, K. (2012)
International Congress on Social & Cultural Studies, Vol- 1, 345-355 (ISBN No: 978-84- 612-8475-7)
Population Growth and Its Impact on Forestry in the North-Eastern States
of India
SARKAR, K. (2012)
Environmental Degradation- Issues and Challenges, India, Vol- 1, Pages 51-57. (ISBN No: 978-81-923088-0-7)
Media and Magazines
Sarkar, K. (2022)
N-IUSSP Magazine Article, October 31, 2022.
Sarkar, K. and Baudin, T. (2022)
N-IUSSP Magazine Article, May 23, 2022.
Working Papers
Childhood Exposure to School Expansion and Changes in Inter-Caste Marriage in India.
Nitin Kumar Bharti, Luca Maria Pesando, Koyel Sarkar, and Neha Bailwal.
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Intergenerational Transmission of Marriage Norms: New Evidence from Urban India.
Koyel Sarkar, Orsola Torrisi, and Sabino Kornrich.
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Changing Partnership Ideals with Online Technologies Among Unmarried Women in India.
Luca Maria Pesando, Koyel Sarkar, and Sabino Kornrich.
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Breaking the Bonds of Tradition? How Couples Meet and Relationship Trajectories.
Koyel Sarkar and Sabino Kornrich.
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Education
• 2011 to 2013: M.Phil. in Population Studies, “A Comparative Analysis of Nuptiality, Fertility and Reproductive Health among Selected States of India”, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, INDIA.
• 2009 to 2011: M.A. in Geography, specialization in Population Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, INDIA.
• 2006 to 2009: B.Sc. in Geography (Honours) from Rani Birla Girls College, Calcutta University, INDIA.
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Research Experience
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Sep 2021 - Current: Post-Doctoral Associate, Social Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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Nov 2020 - Sep 2021: FNRS-ASP Researcher, Universite catholique de Louvain, BELGIUM.
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2015 (Mar – Jun): Junior Project Consultant, National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, INDIA.
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2014 (Jan – Dec): Data Analyst, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, INDIA.
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Dec 2013 - Apr 2014: Research Associate, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi, INDIA.
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Research Experience
2021 - 24: Post-Doctoral Associate, Social Science Division, New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2020 - 21: Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Aspirant Researcher, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
2015 - 15: Junior Project Consultant, National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi.
2014 - 15: Data Analyst, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
2013 - 14: Research Associate, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi.
External Research Stays
2023: Center for the Study of Demography, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
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2023: Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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2017: Economics Department, University of Lille III Charles de Gaulle, France.
2016: Wittgenstein Center for Demography, University of Vienna, Austria.
Teaching Experience
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2023: CO-LECTURER, Social Science Research and Public Policy, Social Science Division, New York University, Abu Dhabi. SRPP-UH-2414: Global Family Policies and Laws. (Undergraduate).
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2014: TEACHING ASSISTANT: Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
RD505: Population and Settlement Geography with Special Reference to India. (Graduate). RD513: Demography and Population Geography. (Graduate).
RD532: Population and Environment. (Graduate).
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2013: GUEST LECTURER, Geography Department, Dyal Singh College, Delhi University, New Delhi.
Social and Cultural Geography. (Undergraduate).​
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Academic Awards and Scholarships
• Received ‘Best Paper Award’ for the paper, ‘Women’s Fertility Behaviour In West Bengal, India- Levels, Trends And Determinants’, in Indian Association for the Studies of Population National Conference, held in Pune, INDIA from 13th to 15th December, 2012 (Indian Rupees 1,000).
• Award for ‘First Position’ in undergraduate programme in the Geography Department in Rani Birla Girl’s College, Kolkata, INDIA, in 2009.
• Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Aspirant (FNRS-ASP) Fellowship (Belgian-Francophone Scholarship), for 4 years (October 2017 to September 2021) to conduct PhD Research in UCL, Louvain la Neuve, BELGIUM.
• ARC Fellowship, for 2 years (November 2015 to September 2017) to conduct PhD Research in UCL, Louvain la Neuve, BELGIUM.
• National Eligibility Test (NET) at the CSIR (Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research), India, in Earth Ocean and Planetary Sciences. Also, at the UGC (University Grants Commission), INDIA, in Population Studies.
• Junior and Senior Research Fellowship (JRF / SRF) by the CSIR (Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research), Ministry of Human Resource Development, INDIA, for 4 years (August 2011 to October 2015) to conduct M.Phil. and PhD Research.
• Funding awarded for participation in the REVES Summer School on “The Demography of Health and Education” held at the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography, Vienna University of Economics and Business, AUSTRIA, 06th to 15th of June, 2016 (500 euros).
• Funding awarded by UNITED NATIONS Population Fund (UNFPA) to present paper in IWAC International Conference, held in Bangkok, THAILAND from 22nd to 25th January, 2013 (652 euros).
• Funding awarded by UNITED NATIONS Population Fund (UNFPA), to present paper in Asian Population Association International Conference, held in Bangkok, THAILAND from 26-29 August, 2012 (977 euros).
• Funding awarded by Asian Population Association (APA) to present paper in Asian Population Association International Conference, held in Bangkok, THAILAND from 26-29 August, 2012 (Indian Rupees 25,000).
Paper Presentations
(International Conference Participations and Summer Schools)
• American Sociological Association: “Breaking the bonds of tradition? How couples meet and relationship trajectories”, and “Changing partnership ideals with digital technologies”, Philadelphia, USA, 2023.
• Indian Demography Conference: "Intergenerational Transmission of Marriage Norms in India", NYU Abu Dhabi, 2023.
• American Sociological Association: “Self-Arranged Marriages in India” & “Lowest-Low fertility in India, Los Angeles, USA, 2022.
• Midi de la recherche: “Love Marriage in India”, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, 2019.
• Population Association of America: “Love Marriage in India” Austin, USA, 2019.
• ARC Workshop: “Modern Indian Marriages” Durbuy, Belgium, 2018.
• European Population Conference: “Childlessness in India” Brussels, 2018.
• Population Association of America: “Childlessness among Married Women in India” Denver, USA, 2018.
• IUSSP Conference: “Emerging Childlessness in India: A matter of choice or despair” Cape Town, South Africa, 2017.
• Young Demographer’s Conference: “Emerging Childlessness in India: a matter of choice or despair?” Prague, 2017.
• European Population Conference: “Differential Utilization of Reproductive Health Care in India”, Mainz, Germany, 2016.
• POPS INED Young Researcher’s Conference: “Levels and Trends of Age at Marriage and First Birth in India” Paris, France, 2016.
• REVES Meeting: “Malaria Burden in India: Prevalence and Performance of Health Services” Vienna, Austria, 2016.
• ARC Workshop: “Emerging significance of Infertility in India” Durbuy, Belgium, 2016.
• Development, Security and Regional Cooperation in Central and South Asia: Euro-Asian Perspective: “A Case Study of Domestic Violence among Married Women in India” Stockholm University & Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 2014.
• IWAC International Conference: “Changing Attitude of Women in terms of Marriage, Fertility Behaviour, and Reproductive health in Uttar Pradesh, India” Bangkok, Thailand, 2013.
• Asian Population Association: “Women’s Fertility Behaviour in West Bengal” Bangkok, Thailand, 2012.
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Language Proficiency
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ENGLISH
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HINDI
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BENGALI
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FRENCH
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Get in Touch
A5 - 1180 D
New York University,
Saadiyat Island,
Abu Dhabi - 129188,
UAE.
+971 (0) 26285803 (Office)
Contacts of References
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(Postdoctoral Mentor)
Associate Professor,
Social Science Division,
New York University,
Abu Dhabi
129188, UAE.
Email : sk8433@nyu.edu
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(Doctoral Supervisor)
Associate Professor,
IESEG School of Management,
University of Lille,
3 rue de la Digue,
Lille, France.
Email : t.baudin@ieseg.fr
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(Doctoral Supervisor)​
Professor
Center for Demographic Research,
Catholic University of Louvain,
Place Montesquieu 1,
1348 Louvain la Neuve, Belgium.
Email : ester.rizzi@uclouvain.be
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(Academic Mentor)
Professor,
CSH - Centre de Sciences Humaines, Delhi.
CEPED / IRD
University of Paris,
Paris- 75006, France.
Email : christophe.guilmoto@ird.fr