This LANSA paper on Gender Differences in Adolescent Nutrition: Evidence from two Indian district... more This LANSA paper on Gender Differences in Adolescent Nutrition: Evidence from two Indian districts is based on research undertaken in locations where the Farming System for Nutrition (FSN) study is underway. The authors are grateful to the FSN study teams in Koraput and Wardha for their support in data collection. They specifically thank Nithya, D. J for the tables and charts on dietary diversity and nutritional status used in this paper, and Raju, S for support with preparing the demographic profile of the villages in Annex 1. This study is part of the ongoing research under the programme on Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) funded by UK Aid from the Department for International Development, UK. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK Government's official policies. About LANSA Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) is an international research partnership. LANSA is finding out how agriculture and agri-food systems can be better designed to advance nutrition. LANSA is focused on policies, interventions and strategies that can improve the nutritional status of women and children in South Asia. LANSA is funded by UK aid from the UK government.
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extraeconomic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or s... more This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisat... more Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisation of water for production and domestic use, and despite the close links between production choices, the security of water for consumption, and gendered social relations, the implications of these interlinkages for health and nutrition are under-explored. This paper seeks to fill this gap. It unpacks the gendered pathways mediating the links between water security in all its dimensions and nutritional outcomes, based on research in 12 villages across two Indian states. The findings point to the importance of the dynamic links between natural (land and water) systems and gendered human activities, across the domains of production and reproduction, and across seasons. These links have implications for women’s work and time burdens. They impact equally on physical and emotional experiences of well-being, especially in contexts constrained by the availability, access, quality, and stability...
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extra-economic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extraeconomic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
ABSTRACT: Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, an... more ABSTRACT: Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisation of water for production and domestic use, and despite the close links between production choices, the security of water for consumption, and gendered social relations, the implications of these interlinkages for health and nutrition are under-explored. This paper seeks to fill this gap. It unpacks the gendered pathways mediating the links between water security in all its dimensions and nutritional outcomes, based on research in 12 villages across two Indian states. The findings point to the importance of the dynamic links between natural (land and water) systems and gendered human activities, across the domains of production and reproduction, and across seasons. These links have implications for women’s work and time burdens. They impact equally on physical and emotional experiences of well-being, especially in contexts constrained by the availability, access, quality, and stability of water.
Research on gender and climate change mostly focuses
on the negative impacts on women and childre... more Research on gender and climate change mostly focuses on the negative impacts on women and children, where men are portrayed as somewhat irresponsible, migrating to the cities and leaving behind helpless women to face multiple adversities. Based on data from the peri-urban Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh, a nuanced approach is argued for instead, distinguishing between adaptation strategies of the landed and landless households, investigating the compulsions and decision-making processes behind male migration, and the coping strategies of the women left behind. Male migration, coupled with the women farming and dealing with markets directly, has changed gender relations in the region. New forms of patriarchy and resistance to the same are emerging even as men face crises of masculinity.
Using quantitative data from a one-time survey followed by ethnographic research in two sites in ... more Using quantitative data from a one-time survey followed by ethnographic research in two sites in India (Koraput district in Odisha and Wardha district in Maharashtra), this paper seeks to examine the conundrum of gender differentials in adolescent nutrition. While large-scale datasets, as from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), suggest that adolescent boys are slightly more undernourished than girls, micro-studies often contradict this finding. In this paper, we explore the possible explanatory factors for this divergence, located in household histories in specific agro-ecological settings. Our analysis reveals that behind every malnourished child, there is (in general) a history of undernourishment, including an impoverished household. The disadvantage is multiplied by the presence of a malnourished mother (sometimes a malnourished father), medical neglect, water scarcity and often a son preference that leads to the birth of several daughters before a son is born. While acknowledging the importance of child malnutrition as a focus of development policy, the paper concludes with a need to pay attention to adolescents, both boys and girls, in order to ensure well-being in adult life.
Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses... more Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences, particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour relations and social identities.
This is a chapter in Rao, Nitya (ed) 2016:Disciplinary Dialogues on Social Change--Gender, Early ... more This is a chapter in Rao, Nitya (ed) 2016:Disciplinary Dialogues on Social Change--Gender, Early Childhood and Theatre, Academic Foundation, New Delhi. I examine the deep rooted underlying patriarchal ideologies that end up disadvantaging girls (and women) even in supposedly non-discriminatory institutions such as school, using qualitative insights and observations from Dungarpur in Rajasthan. While challenging the myth of greater gender equality amongst tribal communities such as the Bhils (even though marginally better than the caste groups), the paper examines both the home and the school as social institutions. The everyday activities and 'performances' therein engrain particular gendered modes of behaviour in children. This paper points to the links across institutions in shaping gender relations, often intensifying and reproducing gender inequalities rather than challenging them.
Female work participation rates (FWPRs) have been historically low in West Bengal compared to the... more Female work participation rates (FWPRs) have been historically low in West Bengal compared to the rest of India. Based on primary data from two villages each in Burdwan and Malda districts of the state this paper explores the phenomenon of the withdrawal of women from the workforce against the backdrop of high growth rates. The explanation is sought in the inter-sectionalities of gender, caste and class and of the associated labelling of the nature of work and the premium placed on domestic work by women. The contribution of the phenomenon of Bhadralokisation plays a critical role in the lowering of the FWPRs in West Bengal. The essential argument of the paper is that rising FWPRs do not necessarily imply reduction of gender discrimination or inequality but points to the further invisibilisation of women’s work. Key words: Bhadralok, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, private capital, globalisation, marginalisation, gender disparity.
International Labour Office Skills Working Paper No.8 InFocus Programme on Skills, Knowledge and ... more International Labour Office Skills Working Paper No.8 InFocus Programme on Skills, Knowledge and Employability, 2002
Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses... more Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences, particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour relations and social identities.
This LANSA paper on Gender Differences in Adolescent Nutrition: Evidence from two Indian district... more This LANSA paper on Gender Differences in Adolescent Nutrition: Evidence from two Indian districts is based on research undertaken in locations where the Farming System for Nutrition (FSN) study is underway. The authors are grateful to the FSN study teams in Koraput and Wardha for their support in data collection. They specifically thank Nithya, D. J for the tables and charts on dietary diversity and nutritional status used in this paper, and Raju, S for support with preparing the demographic profile of the villages in Annex 1. This study is part of the ongoing research under the programme on Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) funded by UK Aid from the Department for International Development, UK. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK Government's official policies. About LANSA Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) is an international research partnership. LANSA is finding out how agriculture and agri-food systems can be better designed to advance nutrition. LANSA is focused on policies, interventions and strategies that can improve the nutritional status of women and children in South Asia. LANSA is funded by UK aid from the UK government.
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extraeconomic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or s... more This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisat... more Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisation of water for production and domestic use, and despite the close links between production choices, the security of water for consumption, and gendered social relations, the implications of these interlinkages for health and nutrition are under-explored. This paper seeks to fill this gap. It unpacks the gendered pathways mediating the links between water security in all its dimensions and nutritional outcomes, based on research in 12 villages across two Indian states. The findings point to the importance of the dynamic links between natural (land and water) systems and gendered human activities, across the domains of production and reproduction, and across seasons. These links have implications for women’s work and time burdens. They impact equally on physical and emotional experiences of well-being, especially in contexts constrained by the availability, access, quality, and stability...
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extra-economic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensificat... more Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women's labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by 'extraeconomic forces' of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine-grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women.
ABSTRACT: Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, an... more ABSTRACT: Despite the global recognition of women’s central role in the provision, management, and utilisation of water for production and domestic use, and despite the close links between production choices, the security of water for consumption, and gendered social relations, the implications of these interlinkages for health and nutrition are under-explored. This paper seeks to fill this gap. It unpacks the gendered pathways mediating the links between water security in all its dimensions and nutritional outcomes, based on research in 12 villages across two Indian states. The findings point to the importance of the dynamic links between natural (land and water) systems and gendered human activities, across the domains of production and reproduction, and across seasons. These links have implications for women’s work and time burdens. They impact equally on physical and emotional experiences of well-being, especially in contexts constrained by the availability, access, quality, and stability of water.
Research on gender and climate change mostly focuses
on the negative impacts on women and childre... more Research on gender and climate change mostly focuses on the negative impacts on women and children, where men are portrayed as somewhat irresponsible, migrating to the cities and leaving behind helpless women to face multiple adversities. Based on data from the peri-urban Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh, a nuanced approach is argued for instead, distinguishing between adaptation strategies of the landed and landless households, investigating the compulsions and decision-making processes behind male migration, and the coping strategies of the women left behind. Male migration, coupled with the women farming and dealing with markets directly, has changed gender relations in the region. New forms of patriarchy and resistance to the same are emerging even as men face crises of masculinity.
Using quantitative data from a one-time survey followed by ethnographic research in two sites in ... more Using quantitative data from a one-time survey followed by ethnographic research in two sites in India (Koraput district in Odisha and Wardha district in Maharashtra), this paper seeks to examine the conundrum of gender differentials in adolescent nutrition. While large-scale datasets, as from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), suggest that adolescent boys are slightly more undernourished than girls, micro-studies often contradict this finding. In this paper, we explore the possible explanatory factors for this divergence, located in household histories in specific agro-ecological settings. Our analysis reveals that behind every malnourished child, there is (in general) a history of undernourishment, including an impoverished household. The disadvantage is multiplied by the presence of a malnourished mother (sometimes a malnourished father), medical neglect, water scarcity and often a son preference that leads to the birth of several daughters before a son is born. While acknowledging the importance of child malnutrition as a focus of development policy, the paper concludes with a need to pay attention to adolescents, both boys and girls, in order to ensure well-being in adult life.
Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses... more Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences, particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour relations and social identities.
This is a chapter in Rao, Nitya (ed) 2016:Disciplinary Dialogues on Social Change--Gender, Early ... more This is a chapter in Rao, Nitya (ed) 2016:Disciplinary Dialogues on Social Change--Gender, Early Childhood and Theatre, Academic Foundation, New Delhi. I examine the deep rooted underlying patriarchal ideologies that end up disadvantaging girls (and women) even in supposedly non-discriminatory institutions such as school, using qualitative insights and observations from Dungarpur in Rajasthan. While challenging the myth of greater gender equality amongst tribal communities such as the Bhils (even though marginally better than the caste groups), the paper examines both the home and the school as social institutions. The everyday activities and 'performances' therein engrain particular gendered modes of behaviour in children. This paper points to the links across institutions in shaping gender relations, often intensifying and reproducing gender inequalities rather than challenging them.
Female work participation rates (FWPRs) have been historically low in West Bengal compared to the... more Female work participation rates (FWPRs) have been historically low in West Bengal compared to the rest of India. Based on primary data from two villages each in Burdwan and Malda districts of the state this paper explores the phenomenon of the withdrawal of women from the workforce against the backdrop of high growth rates. The explanation is sought in the inter-sectionalities of gender, caste and class and of the associated labelling of the nature of work and the premium placed on domestic work by women. The contribution of the phenomenon of Bhadralokisation plays a critical role in the lowering of the FWPRs in West Bengal. The essential argument of the paper is that rising FWPRs do not necessarily imply reduction of gender discrimination or inequality but points to the further invisibilisation of women’s work. Key words: Bhadralok, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, private capital, globalisation, marginalisation, gender disparity.
International Labour Office Skills Working Paper No.8 InFocus Programme on Skills, Knowledge and ... more International Labour Office Skills Working Paper No.8 InFocus Programme on Skills, Knowledge and Employability, 2002
Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses... more Studying a stream of migration from Jharkhand to western Uttar Pradesh (UP), this article focuses on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences, particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour relations and social identities.
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Papers by amit mitra
on the negative impacts on women and children, where
men are portrayed as somewhat irresponsible, migrating
to the cities and leaving behind helpless women to face
multiple adversities. Based on data from the peri-urban
Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh, a nuanced approach is
argued for instead, distinguishing between adaptation
strategies of the landed and landless households,
investigating the compulsions and decision-making
processes behind male migration, and the coping
strategies of the women left behind. Male migration,
coupled with the women farming and dealing with
markets directly, has changed gender relations in the
region. New forms of patriarchy and resistance to the
same are emerging even as men face crises of masculinity.
http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/67fcad76-0a67-42a4-9987-9edf25f28800/
Key words: Bhadralok, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, private capital, globalisation, marginalisation, gender disparity.
on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand
village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and
complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences,
particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to
the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of
distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour
relations and social identities.
on the negative impacts on women and children, where
men are portrayed as somewhat irresponsible, migrating
to the cities and leaving behind helpless women to face
multiple adversities. Based on data from the peri-urban
Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh, a nuanced approach is
argued for instead, distinguishing between adaptation
strategies of the landed and landless households,
investigating the compulsions and decision-making
processes behind male migration, and the coping
strategies of the women left behind. Male migration,
coupled with the women farming and dealing with
markets directly, has changed gender relations in the
region. New forms of patriarchy and resistance to the
same are emerging even as men face crises of masculinity.
http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/67fcad76-0a67-42a4-9987-9edf25f28800/
Key words: Bhadralok, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, private capital, globalisation, marginalisation, gender disparity.
on the work and life experiences of migrant labour from tribal India. Based on an in-depth study of a Jharkhand
village, alongside a briefer stint at the destination village in UP, it examines the micro-level nuances and
complexity of migrant labour movements and their often unexpected and unrecognised social consequences,
particularly, the renegotiation of class and gender relations at home and the destination. Apart from pointing to
the deep interconnections between the relations of production and reproduction, it demonstrates how the use of
distinct representations of work and life due to spatial distanciation contribute to renegotiating both labour
relations and social identities.