Dalit Women

Focusing on the lives of Dalit women, this ethnographic study explores the increasing influence of patriarchy within the community as their economic and political status improves. The author highlights the significance of 'honour' in social standing, illustrating how changing norms around women's work, education, and marriage reflect a shift towards dominant-caste gender practices. Concurrently, Dalits are fostering a distinct, politicized identity, with women's 'respectability' playing a central role in this transformation.