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Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology

Conway and Colleagues Publish Study on Mothers’ Experiences of Parenting in U.S. Intimate Partner Violence Shelters

In a recent article in the Journal of Family Violence, CSDE External Affiliate Anne Conway (Univesity of Tennessee) was part of a team that explored how intimate partner violence (IPV) shelter policies and practices influence autonomy and well-being among survivors who are parenting young children in the shelter. Using semi-structured interviews with 14 survivors from shelters across the United States, they examined the ways in which shelter rules, staff, and childcare provisions, shape the lived experiences of survivors. Findings indicate that while shelter rules are designed to ensure safety and structure, they often conflict with survivors’ desires for agency and control over their parenting. Many participants reported feeling disempowered by rigid policies. However, survivors also highlighted moments where the rules provided a sense of structure and safety in which they could bond with their children.

Pörtner Estimates Impacts of Economic Shocks and Mental Health in Bangladesh

External Affiliate Claus Pörtner (Seattle University) recently published an article in BMJ Global Health titled, “Economic shocks and mental health in Bangladesh.” Pörtner and co-authors used nationally representative panel data over two waves and applied individual fixed effects to estimate the impact of economic shocks on mental health outcomes. Of the 7900 individuals surveyed, more than 16% experienced depression, 6.5% experienced anxiety and 5% experienced both. Economic shocks significantly increased depression and anxiety. Individuals experiencing multiple types of shocks had nearly double the risk of reporting either mental health disorder compared with those facing a single shock. These impacts persisted for 6–12 months post-shock. Adverse mental health effects were concentrated among individuals without coping mechanisms, such as use of savings, credit or support from friends and family, while education appeared protective.

PAA 2026: Pre-Register by February 4 and Volunteer to Serve as Chair or Discussant

PAA looks forward to seeing you May 6-9 in St. Louis, Missouri!

All accepted presenters will be required to pre-register for the conference by February 4, 2026 to secure spot on the program. The program and schedule will not be available until mid-February. Registration is now open for you to secure your spot at PAA 2026. See all details and register here.

PAA is looking for volunteers to be chairs and discussants for some additional PAA sessions at the 2026 annual meeting. Selections will be made on a first come, first serve basis. Sign up here.

Please note the guidelines below:

  • Please feel free to make several selections, but note that you will only be assigned one role unless there is still a need for additional chairs and discussants after all volunteers have been given a role.
  • You cannot have more than four roles total at the PAA 2026 meeting, with two as a presenter.
  • If you are presenting or serving in other roles already, MiraSmart will resolve any possible conflicts before the session schedule is finalized.
  • You must be pre-registered for the conference to serve in these roles.
  • Guidelines for these roles will be sent out approximately one month before the start of the conference

CACHE Webinar: CHIRPS and CHIRTS datasets – Shraddhanand Shukla (02/05/26)

The virtual Center on Aging, Health, and Environment (CACHE) is hosting a webinar, titled “Climate Hazard Center’s rainfall (CHIRPS) and temperature (CHIRTS) datasets: Everything you want to know about these valuable resources” delivered by Dr. Shraddhanand Shukla (UCSB). Join CACHE on February 5, at 2 pm PT. Register in advance to join! Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email containing the password required to join the seminar.

*New* ASA International Migration Webinar: Navigating Methodological & Ethical Challenges in Migration Research (02/06/26)

What are some of the key risks and challenges facing migration researchers in our current political climate? How do we protect our interlocutors and ourselves? Join the panelists for a discussion on methodology and ethics in contemporary migration research.

When: Friday, February 6 at 2 PM EST / 11 AM PST

Speakers: Nilda Flores-Gonzalez (Arizona State University); Heba Gowayed (CUNY Hunter College/Graduate Center); Ariela Schachter (Washington University in St. Louis)

Hosted by: ASA International Migration Section

Register here

INVEST Conference 2026 – Building Equal Societies: From Scientific Findings to Societal Transformation (02/09/26)

The INVEST Conference 2026 is accepting abstract submissions through February 9, 2026. The conference theme is “Building equal societies: from scientific findings to societal transformation”. INVEST 2026 will take place May 8-9, 2026 in Turku, Finland.

The INVEST Conference is an interdisciplinary meeting point for researchers who are committed to understanding and reducing social inequalities. We warmly invite researchers from all career stages to submit their work and join us in Turku next spring. Whether your work focuses on individuals, families, communities or systems, this is a place where your findings can spark meaningful conversations and help shape solutions for more equal societies.

Themes:

  • Citizenship and resilience
  • Demographic research
  • Implementation
  • Individual and societal consequences of crises and disasters
  • Labour markets and economic well-being
  • Mental health and mental disorders
  • Methodological approaches and openings
  • Migration and integration
  • Peer relations and youth vulnerabilities
  • Publich health and social care
  • Social experiments and interventions
  • Social inequality
  • Social well-being and quality of life
  • Sociogenetic research
  • Urban and housing studies
  • Other related theme

This is your opportunity to: 

  • Present your research to an international scientific audience and join a community working at the intersection of research and real-world impact.
  • Meet leading scholars, including keynote speakers Kathryn Paige Harden and Philip N. Cohen.
  • Exchange ideas across disciplines and build new collaborations that advance both science and society.

Keynote speakers:

  • Kathryn Paige Harden, Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas, Director of the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and co-directs the Texas Twin Project. She is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on genetics, behavior, and social inequality
  • Philip Cohen, Professor of sociology and a demographer at the University of Maryland. He is a leading scholar of family sociology, inequality, and social change and is also known for his influential work in public sociology and for advocating open, transparent, and impactful research communication.

Abstract Submission Guidelines: For more information, click here.

  • Presentation format: individual oral presentation
  • Submission language: English
  • Presentations must be held in English
  • Please double-check all author information before submitting
  • Authors are solely responsible for the scientific and ethical content
  • No submission fees
  • Abstracts cannot be modified after the submission deadline
  • Maximum legnth of presentation title: 200 characters incl. spaces
  • Maximum length of abstract: 2000 characters incl. spaces
  • Last submission date: 9th Feb 2026