Details about Ashwini Deshpande

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Homepage:	https://www.ashoka.edu.in/profile/ashwini-deshpande/
Workplace:	Economics, Ashoka University, (more information at EDIRC)

Access statistics for papers by Ashwini Deshpande.

Last updated 2026-02-15. Update your information in the RePEc Author Service.

Short-id: pde323

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Working Papers

2024

1. Norms that matter: exploring the distribution of women's work between income generation, expenditure-saving and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India
   LSE Research Online Documents on Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library
   Also in WIDER Working Paper Series, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER) (2021) View citations (6)
   See also Journal Article Norms that matter: Exploring the distribution of women’s work between income generation, expenditure-saving and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India, World Development, Elsevier (2024) View citations (5) (2024)
2. The Demand-Side Story: Structural Change and the Decline in Female Labour Force Participation in India
   IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER View citations (4)

2023

3. An Indian Enigma? Labour Market Impacts of the World's Largest Livelihoods Program
   GLO Discussion Paper Series, Global Labor Organization (GLO)
   See also Journal Article An Indian Enigma? Labour market impacts of the world’s largest livelihoods program, Journal of Population Economics, Springer (2024) (2024)
4. Stunting and Social Identity: Revisiting the India - Africa Comparison
   Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (1)

2022

5. Discriminatory Social Norms and Early Childhood Development
   Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics
   See also Journal Article Discriminatory social norms and early childhood development, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier (2025) (2025)

2021

6. Dropping Out, Being Pushed Out or Can’t Get in? Decoding Declining Labour Force Participation of Indian Women
   IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER View citations (22)
   Also in Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics (2021) View citations (18)
7. The Impact of Caste: A Missing Link in the Literature on Stunting in India
   IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER
8. Viewing Caste Inequality Upside Down: The Perversity of Special Schemes for Brahmins in South India
   Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics

2020

9. (In)Visibility, Care and Cultural Barriers: The Size and Shape of Women’s Work in India
   Working Papers, eSocialSciences
10. Is COVID-19 'The Great Leveler'? The Critical Role of Social Identity in Lockdown- induced Job Losses
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (9)
    Also in GLO Discussion Paper Series, Global Labor Organization (GLO) (2020) View citations (7)
11. The COVID-19 Pandemic and Gendered Division of Paid and Unpaid Work: Evidence from India
    IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER View citations (12)
12. The Covid-19 Lockdown in India: Gender and Caste Dimensions of the First Job Losses
    Working Papers, eSocialSciences View citations (1)
13. The Covid-19 Pandemic and Lockdown: First Effects on Gender Gaps in Employment and Domestic Work in India
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (24)
14. The Covid-19 Pandemic and Lockdown: First Order Effects on Gender Gaps in Employment and Domestic Time Use in India
    GLO Discussion Paper Series, Global Labor Organization (GLO) View citations (11)
15. The Impact of an Adult Literacy Program on the Next Generation: Evidence from India
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics
16. Which Indian Children are Short and Why? Social Identity, Childhood Malnutrition and Cognitive Outcomes
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (4)

2019

17. (In)Visibility, Care and Cultural Barriers: The Size and Shape of Women's Work in India
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (9)
    Also in LSE Research Online Documents on Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library (2019) View citations (6)
18. Can Weak Ties Create Social Capital? Evidence from Self-Help Groups in Rural India
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics
    See also Journal Article Can weak ties create social capital? Evidence from Self-Help Groups in rural India, World Development, Elsevier (2021) View citations (7) (2021)
19. Nakusha? Son Preference, Resource Concentration and Gender Gaps in Education
    Working Papers, Ashoka University, Department of Economics View citations (1)

2018

20. Social Identity and Perceived Income Adequacy
    GLO Discussion Paper Series, Global Labor Organization (GLO)
    See also Journal Article Social identity and perceived income adequacy, Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell (2020) View citations (2) (2020)

2017

21. Stigma or Red Tape- Roadblocks in the Use of Affirmative Action
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics
    Also in Working Papers, eSocialSciences (2017)
22. The Impact of Adult Education on Knowledge, Self-Awareness and Confidence: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in India
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics
    Also in Working Papers, eSocialSciences (2017)

2016

23. Dominant or Backward? Political Economy of the Demand for Quotas by Jats, Patels and Marathas
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (2)
24. Double jeopardy?: Caste, affirmative action, and stigma
    WIDER Working Paper Series, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER) View citations (1)
25. Identity, Perceptions and Institutions: Caste Differences in Earnings from Self-Employment in India
    IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER View citations (5)
    Also in Working Papers, eSocialSciences (2016) View citations (5)
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics (2016) View citations (5)
26. THE IMPACT OF A COMPUTER BASED ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM ON LITERACY AND NUMERACY-EVIDENCE FROM INDIA
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics
    Also in IDE Discussion Papers, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO) (2016)
    Mathematica Policy Research Reports, Mathematica Policy Research
    See also Journal Article The Impact of a Computer-based Adult Literacy Program on Literacy and Numeracy: Evidence from India, World Development, Elsevier (2017) View citations (6) (2017)
27. The Changing Contours of Inter group Disparities and the Role of Preferential Policies in a Globalizing World: Evidence from India
    Working Papers, eSocialSciences
    Also in Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics (2016) View citations (5)

2015

28. BAD KARMA OR DISCRIMINATION? MALE-FEMALE WAGE GAPS AMONG SALARIED WORKERS IN INDIA
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (11)
    Also in Working Papers, eSocialSciences (2015) View citations (21)
    IZA Discussion Papers, IZA Network @ LISER (2015) View citations (11)
    See also Journal Article Bad Karma or Discrimination? Male–Female Wage Gaps Among Salaried Workers in India, World Development, Elsevier (2018) View citations (28) (2018)
29. Disadvantage and Discrimination in Self-Employment: Caste Gaps in Earnings in Indian Small Businesses
    Working Papers, eSocialSciences View citations (1)
    Also in WIDER Working Paper Series, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER) (2015) View citations (2)
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics (2014) View citations (1)
    See also Journal Article Disadvantage and discrimination in self-employment: caste gaps in earnings in Indian small businesses, Small Business Economics, Springer (2016) View citations (21) (2016)

2013

30. Entrepreneurship or Survival? Caste and Gender of Small Business in India
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (38)
31. How Backward are the Other Backward Classes? Changing Contours of Caste Disadvantage in India
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (5)
    Also in Working Papers, eSocialSciences (2013) View citations (6)

2012

32. WHO IS THE IDENTIFIABLE VICTIM?--CASTE INTERACTS WITH SYMPATHY IN INDIA
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (1)

2010

33. DOES AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AFFECT PRODUCTIVITY IN THE INDIAN RAILWAYS?
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics View citations (2)

2005

34. Affirmative Action in India and the United States
    World Bank Publications - Reports, The World Bank Group

1997

35. LOAN PUSHING AND TRIADIC RELATIONS
    Working papers, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics
    See also Journal Article Loan Pushing and Triadic Relations, Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons (1999) View citations (1) (1999)

Journal Articles

2025

1. Discriminatory social norms and early childhood development
   Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2025, 238, (C)
   See also Working Paper Discriminatory Social Norms and Early Childhood Development, Working Papers (2022) (2022)
2. Temporal changes in hospital readmissions for postpartum hypertension in the US, 2010 to 2019; a serial cross-sectional analysis
   PLOS ONE, 2025, 20, (1), 1-12

2024

3. An Indian Enigma? Labour market impacts of the world’s largest livelihoods program
   Journal of Population Economics, 2024, 37, (3), 1-20
   See also Working Paper An Indian Enigma? Labour Market Impacts of the World's Largest Livelihoods Program, GLO Discussion Paper Series (2023) (2023)
4. Caste disparities and affirmative action in India
   Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 2024, 40, (3), 630-640
5. Norms that matter: Exploring the distribution of women’s work between income generation, expenditure-saving and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India
   World Development, 2024, 174, (C) View citations (5)
   See also Working Paper Norms that matter: exploring the distribution of women's work between income generation, expenditure-saving and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India, LSE Research Online Documents on Economics (2024) (2024)
6. The Hidden Divide: A Note on the Significance of Within-India Stunting Disparities
   Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 2024, 7, (4), 285-293

2023

7. Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on the Indian Labour Market
   The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 2023, 66, (4), 951-959
8. The Impact of an Adult Education Program for Mothers: Evidence from India
   Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2023, 71, (2), 709 - 751 View citations (2)

2022

9. Early childhood stunting and later life outcomes: A longitudinal analysis
   Economics & Human Biology, 2022, 44, (C) View citations (5)
10. The Covid-19 pandemic and gendered division of paid work, domestic chores and leisure: evidence from India’s first wave
    Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, 2022, 39, (1), 75-100 View citations (12)
    See also Chapter The Covid-19 Pandemic and Gendered Division of Paid Work, Domestic Chores and Leisure: Evidence from India’s First Wave, India Studies in Business and Economics, 2023, 143-168 (2023) (2023)

2021

11. Can weak ties create social capital? Evidence from Self-Help Groups in rural India
    World Development, 2021, 146, (C) View citations (7)
    See also Working Paper Can Weak Ties Create Social Capital? Evidence from Self-Help Groups in Rural India, Working Papers (2019) (2019)

2020

12. Early Effects of Lockdown in India: Gender Gaps in Job Losses and Domestic Work
    The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 2020, 63, (1), 87-90 View citations (10)
13. Social identity and perceived income adequacy
    Review of Development Economics, 2020, 24, (2), 339-361 View citations (2)
    See also Working Paper Social Identity and Perceived Income Adequacy, GLO Discussion Paper Series (2018) (2018)

2019

14. Local Social Inequality, Economic Inequality, and Disparities in Child Height in India
    Demography, 2019, 56, (4), 1427-1452 View citations (9)
15. Traditional hierarchies and affirmative action in a globalizing economy: Evidence from India
    World Development, 2019, 118, (C), 63-78 View citations (21)

2018

16. Bad Karma or Discrimination? Male–Female Wage Gaps Among Salaried Workers in India
    World Development, 2018, 102, (C), 331-344 View citations (28)
    See also Working Paper BAD KARMA OR DISCRIMINATION? MALE-FEMALE WAGE GAPS AMONG SALARIED WORKERS IN INDIA, Working papers (2015) View citations (11) (2015)

2017

17. The Impact of a Computer-based Adult Literacy Program on Literacy and Numeracy: Evidence from India
    World Development, 2017, 96, (C), 451-473 View citations (6)
    See also Working Paper THE IMPACT OF A COMPUTER BASED ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM ON LITERACY AND NUMERACY-EVIDENCE FROM INDIA, Working papers (2016) (2016)

2016

18. Book Review: The Global Rise of Asian Transformation: Trends and Developments in Economic Growth Dynamics edited by Pongsank Hoontrakul, Christopher Balding and Reena Marwah
    China Report, 2016, 52, (2), 173-175
19. Disadvantage and discrimination in self-employment: caste gaps in earnings in Indian small businesses
    Small Business Economics, 2016, 46, (2), 325-346 View citations (21)
    Also in Small Business Economics, 2016, 46, (2), 325-346 (2016) View citations (20)
    See also Working Paper Disadvantage and Discrimination in Self-Employment: Caste Gaps in Earnings in Indian Small Businesses, Working Papers (2015) View citations (1) (2015)
20. Who Is the Identifiable Victim? Caste and Charitable Giving in Modern India
    Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2016, 64, (2), 299 - 321 View citations (6)

2014

21. Does Affirmative Action Reduce Productivity? A Case Study of the Indian Railways
    World Development, 2014, 64, (C), 169-180 View citations (20)

2011

22. Who Is Eligible? Should Affirmative Action be Group‐ or Class‐Based?
    American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 2011, 70, (1), 238-268 View citations (9)

2008

23. Book Review: Capabilities, Freedom and Equality: Amartya Sen's Work from a Gender Perspective
    Indian Economic Review, 2008, 43, (2), 317-318

2007

24. Overlapping Identities under Liberalization: Gender and Caste in India
    Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2007, 55, (4), 735-760 View citations (31)

2004

25. Book Reviews: ANUPAMA RAO (ed.), Gender and Caste (Vol. 1 of Issues in Contemporary Indian Feminism, Series Editor Rajeshwari Sunder Rajan), New Delhi, Kali for Women (in association with the Book Review Literary Trust), 2003, pp. 377. GHANSHYAM SHAH (ed.), Caste and Democratic Politics in India (Essential Writings in Politics, Series Editors Rajeev Bhargava and Partha Chatterjee), New Delhi, Permanent Black, 2002, pp. 440
    The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 2004, 41, (3), 358-360

2002

26. Assets versus Autonomy? The Changing Face of the Gender-Caste Overlap in India
    Feminist Economics, 2002, 8, (2), 19-35 View citations (16)
27. Book Review: India' s Development Experience: Selected Writings of S. Guhan
    Indian Economic Review, 2002, 37, (1), 135-136
28. Tale of Two Cities: Regional Inequality in China on the Eve of its Entry into WTO
    China Report, 2002, 38, (4), 523-546

2001

29. Caste at Birth? Redefining Disparity in India
    Review of Development Economics, 2001, 5, (1), 130-144 View citations (67)

2000

30. Does Caste Still Define Disparity? A Look at Inequality in Kerala, India
    American Economic Review, 2000, 90, (2), 322-325 View citations (96)
31. Intergroup Economic Inequality Across Countries: An lntroductory Essay
    Review of Social Economy, 2000, 58, (3), 273-276 View citations (2)
32. Recasting Economic Inequality
    Review of Social Economy, 2000, 58, (3), 381-399 View citations (13)
33. Tracing the Divide: Intergroup Disparity across Countries
    Eastern Economic Journal, 2000, 26, (1), 75-85 View citations (11)

1999

34. Loan Pushing and Triadic Relations
    Southern Economic Journal, 1999, 65, (4), 914-926 View citations (1)
    See also Working Paper LOAN PUSHING AND TRIADIC RELATIONS, Working papers (1997) (1997)

1998

35. Continuing the Open Door Policy: Promoting Capitalism?
    China Report, 1998, 34, (1), 111-117

1997

36. Book Review: The China Miracle: Development Strategy and Economic Reform
    Indian Economic Review, 1997, 32, (2), 233-235
37. The debt overhang and the disincentive to invest
    Journal of Development Economics, 1997, 52, (1), 169-187 View citations (63)

1996

38. Book Review: Migration, Remittances and Capital Flows: The Indian Experience
    Indian Economic Review, 1996, 31, (2), 252-254
39. The Role of Foreign Capital in Chinese Reforms: A Survey
    China Report, 1996, 32, (3), 295-328

1995

40. III Book Reviews: KUTTAN MAHADEVAN, CHI-HSIEN TUAN, JINGYUAN YU, M SUMANGALA and G P RAMACHANDRA (Eds.), Society and Development in China and India. B R Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 1994. xxviii + 423 pp. Rs. 450 (hardbound)
    China Report, 1995, 31, (4), 538-540
41. THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL CREDIT AS AN INSTRUMENT OF TRADE
    The Japanese Economic Review, 1995, 46, (4), 333-350 View citations (1)

Books

2011

1. The Grammar of Caste: Economic Discrimination in Contemporary India
   OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press View citations (108)

Edited books

2023

1. Handbook on Economics of Discrimination and Affirmative Action
   Springer Books, Springer

2010

2. Globalization and Development: A Handbook of New Perspectives
   OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press

Chapters

2026

1. Caste, Class and Stratification in India
   A chapter in The Economics of Race and Stratification, 2026

2023

2. Introduction
   Springer
3. The Covid-19 Pandemic and Gendered Division of Paid Work, Domestic Chores and Leisure: Evidence from India’s First Wave
   Springer
   See also Journal Article The Covid-19 pandemic and gendered division of paid work, domestic chores and leisure: evidence from India’s first wave, Springer (2022) View citations (12) (2022)

2016

4. Caste Discrimination in Contemporary India
   Palgrave Macmillan

2013

5. Social justice through affirmative action in India: an assessment
   Chapter 18 in Capitalism on Trial, 2013 View citations (2)

2008

6. Caste and Diversity in India
   Chapter 11 in The Elgar Companion to Social Economics, 2008