GENDER, CULTURE AND HONOUR: Gender Audit of Punjab and Haryana

Book Details

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Author: Rajesh Gill

• Language: English

• Cover: Hardcover

• ISBN: 9788131610992

• Pages: 392

About the Book

Punjab and Haryana, two of India's most economically advanced states, have long attracted the attention of media, scholars, and development experts. These states are paradoxically known for their agricultural success, but also for significant gender discrimination, challenging the assumption that economic development naturally leads to gender equality.

This book is based on a comprehensive research project titled "Cultural Fixation on Honour: A Gender Audit of Punjab and Haryana", conducted at the UGC Centre at Panjab University, Chandigarh, from 2011 to 2017. The study extensively explores the gender dynamics in these regions, focusing on the lived experiences of women through in-depth fieldwork conducted in twelve villages. The research uses an ethnographic approach to capture the voices of both women and men, placing their narratives in the context of caste, religion, culture, and tradition.

The book uncovers the ongoing gender inequalities that persist in these progressive states, highlighting key issues such as female foeticide, child marriage, gender-based violence, denial of equal life opportunities, and marital rape. It provides rich first-hand accounts that illustrate the paradox of development alongside entrenched gender biases, presenting a complex picture of gender relations in rural India.

Contents

1. Cultural History of Punjab and Haryana

2. Designing Research: The Qualitative Style

3. Capturing the Field: Narratives and Inferences

4. Women’s Empowerment: The Ground Reality

5. Social Panchayats: Patriarchy Writ Large

6. Media, Public Policy and Legislation: A Gender Audit

7. Gender Equations Today: A Cultural Fixation!

About the Author

Rajesh Gill is a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at Panjab University, Chandigarh, with over 32 years of teaching experience. She has taught courses in Sociological Theory, Epistemology, Research Methodology, and Urban Sociology. With a strong academic background, she has authored five books and over 90 research articles. Her previous works include "Social Change in Urban Periphery" (1991), "Slums as Urban Villages" (1994), and "Gender, Patriarchy and Violence" (2017). She has also led several research projects, contributing significantly to the field of gender studies and sociology.