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Welcome to HARSH!
HARSH (September 2025–August 2030) investigates the cultural, institutional, and economic determinants of harsh parenting, defined as the use of corporal or emotional punishment to discipline children. Despite well-documented adverse effects on children’s physical and psychological outcomes over the life course, harsh parenting remains widespread and persistent, and its underlying causes are not well understood. HARSH advances knowledge on the roots of these practices with the aim of informing effective policy responses to this critical public health issue.
News
Expression of Interest for a Full-time Predoctoral Fellow Position (1 year)
The University of Bologna-DSE is seeking 2 highly motivated full-time predoctoral fellows to join the ERC Consolidator Grant project “HARSH – Uncovering the Roots of Harsh Parenting” from autumn 2026.
HARSH Researchers heading to Zambia to run fieldwork
HARSH Researchers Mathilde and Pablo are heading to Ndola, Zambia, to run focus group discussions that will help inform the design of survey questions on child discipline practices.