Women in India: Exploring Work, Life and Freedom

Women’s lives in India have evolved significantly in the past few decades, particularly in the realms of health, education, economic security, and social standing – including media representation. The change is perceptible not only materially but also perceptually. Yet, at the cusp of India’s eightieth year of Independence, the stories, or lack thereof, about the lives of women in the country don’t cease to astound.Women in India: Exploring Work, Life, and Freedom critically traces the trajectory of these changes while also revealing the persistent blind spots and prejudices within systems that continue to scaffold their subordination and marginalisation. The book interrogates the extent to which these developments have improved lives of women in different parts of the country and questions whether persistent barriers like gender discrimination, underrepresentation, and unequal work prospects still prevent women from exercising their autonomy and agency in a modern and ever evolving society. Drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives, encompassing disciplines such as sociology, public health, economics, law, media, management, literature, and cultural studies, the book underscores the role of women as powerful agents of change despite the sociocultural barriers that continue to hinder their progress. Lives and life-stories of ordinary women form the crux of the chapters authored by an eclectic mix of young Indian scholars from diverse geographical locations.

This book will provide essential reading to students and researchers working in the areas of gender studies, cultural studies, sociology, economics, media, management, literature, social movements, and South Asian studies. Policymakers and general readers interested in women’s issues and well-being will also find the book to be of immense value.

Seemita Mohanty is Professor of English in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India.

Jalandhar Pradhan is Professor of Economics in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India.

Ipsita Roy is Assistant Professor of Economics in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India.

Debanjali Dutta is a research scholar in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India.