Of Woman Caste: The Experience of Gender in Rural India

Studies of gender relations in rural India tend to focus on traditional male power and the exploitation of women. The disempowerment of men, through the combined effects of women's subversion of power, corruption, elite terrorism and a depressed economy, is often overlooked. This intimate study of women in a mainly Hindu village of southern Maharashtra fills that gap by exploring the strategies that women resort to in the face of male dominance. By interweaving the life stories of five women farmers, it explains the complexities that women face in maintaining the balance between traditional expectations and current realities. It also depicts the impact on traditional gender roles of class distinctions and male migration to the cities.