Published Quarterly Journal of Economics Online 13 Aug 2025 Published Jan 2026Traditional Institutions in Modern Times: Dowries as Pensions When Sons MigrateNatalie Bau · Gaurav Khanna · Corinne Low · Alessandra VoenaThis paper asks whether dowry — a transfer from the bride's family to the groom's household upon marriage, prevalent throughout India — enables male migration by providing liquidity that compensates …