Gargi Dangwal successfully defends dissertation on migration and adaptation in India

We want to extend our congratulations to Gargi Dangwal, Department of Economics and House of Sustainable Society-affiliate, for successfully defending her doctoral dissertation on June 8, 2026, at the Stockholm School of Economics. Her dissertation, “Migration Under Frictions”, examines how households respond to economic opportunities, infrastructure investments, and environmental shocks when moving is costly or uncertain.

"One of the pleasures of supervising a PhD student is seeing how their ideas develop over time,” says Martina Björkman Nyqvist, Professor of Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics and Gargi’s primary supervisor. “Gargi arrived with a deep interest in economic development in India and built a research agenda around some of the most important questions in the field. This dissertation reflects years of hard work, intellectual curiosity, and persistence, and we are so proud of what she has accomplished."

Many interesting discussions took place during the defense, zooming in on the findings and their implications for migration and development policy. The discussion was led by opponent Anders Kjelsrud, Professor at Oslo Business School, who praised the quality and ambition of the work.

The dissertation consists of three chapters, each focusing on a different study set in India, shedding new light on migration decisions and the institutions that shape them.

Chapter 1: How migration changes household decisions

The first chapter examines how temporary labor migration affects the families left behind. The research follows households through the full cycle of separation and reunification when male household members migrate for work.

Spouses often enter paid employment while the migrant is away but leave those jobs when he returns. At the same time, other working-age males in the household move from education into work. These changes appear more persistent than those of the spouses, with relatively few returning to school after the migrant comes home.

The results suggest that migration can reshape household labor allocation in ways that have long-term implications for education and human capital development.

Chapter 2: When better roads change local economies

The second chapter studies one of India's largest infrastructure projects: the national highway expansion carried out between 2014 and 2024.

The research shows that improved road connectivity reduced the costs of moving goods and people, bringing clear economic benefits to communities located near the new highways. Household incomes increased, and employment shifted away from farming toward paid work.

Another more surprising finding was that better connectivity did not lead to more migration. Reduced spatial barriers transformed local labor markets without leading to large population flows. 

The findings also highlight an important trade-off: economic gains came alongside environmental costs, including higher pollution levels and reduced forest cover.

Chapter 3: Climate shocks, migration, and food security

The dissertation's third chapter examines how households respond to extreme heat and whether public policy can reduce the need for distress-driven migration.

It zooms in on heat shocks during India's wheat-growing season, and a reform that allowed beneficiaries to access subsidized food outside their home location through portable ration cards.

The findings show that extreme heat reduces agricultural incomes and increases short-term migration. However, when food benefits become available across locations, migration becomes less closely tied to weather-related shocks.

This suggests that welfare institutions can play an important role in helping households manage climate-related risks and reducing the pressure to migrate purely for survival.

Understanding migration in a changing economy

Although each chapter focuses on a different question, together they highlight how infrastructure, labor markets, public policy, and environmental conditions shape migration decisions and economic adaptation.

By examining how people respond to both opportunities and shocks, the dissertation provides new insights into the role migration plays in economic development and how institutions can help households navigate change.

"Growing up in India, I saw how opportunities can differ dramatically across places and how migration often becomes a way for families to improve their lives," says Gargi. "Over the past years, I've had the opportunity to study these questions more closely, from labor migration and infrastructure to climate shocks and social protection. Defending this dissertation is a proud moment, and I hope the research contributes to a better understanding of how people adapt to change and uncertainty."

The House of Sustainable Society congratulates Gargi on the successful defense of her dissertation, and we wish her continued success in her future career.

Read the dissertation in full here: “Migration Under Frictions”