Income alone is not enough to measure the standard of living enjoyed by an individual. We have to look at poverty more broadly to understand its true impact. During the Great Recession, many Americans with incomes above poverty line, experienced deprivations in multiple areas like health, education, housing quality, security and social connections. The decline in their standard of living is often not captured by the official statistics.
Areas of Expertise
- Deprivation in Education, Health, and Housing
- Economic Growth
- Economic Impact Analysis of Public Infrastructure Projects
- Inequality
- Poverty
Biography
Dhongde approaches economics from a quality-of-life perspective, using U.S. Census data to reveal how poverty isn’t just about income, but also involves issues related to housing, health, and education. She was among the first in the United States to use multidimensional poverty indices to shed light on domestic poverty during the 2007-2009 recession, and continues to apply that framework to studying deprivation among specific groups by race, ethnicity, age and gender. She also specializes in analyzing Georgia’s economic development and how public infrastructure projects, help reduce regional inequalities.
Media Appearances
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Georgia Tech Study: Bicycling has $496 Million Impact in Georgia | Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Money Woes Hit Many Americans Early in the Pandemic | HealthDay
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Want to Define Poverty? Consider More Than Just Income, Study Says | How Stuff Works
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Here's why poverty should be measured by more than income | Michigan Public Radio
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Economist's research reveals poverty should be measured by more than income | Phys.org
For Media Inquiries
Michael Pearson
Ivan Allen College Media Relations
Email Michael Pearson