Development Interventions and Masculinity in Transition

Abstract

Intent of the study was to trace the shifts in masculinities among three generation's indigenous Marma men due to their increased affiliation with development interventions and its impact on gender relationship in Marma community. Following qualitative methodology, total 28 in-depth interviews and 10 focus group discussions were carried out at Bandarban Sadar, Tigerpara and Balaghata areas. Study covered 70 Marma men of three different generations, where age ranged from 13 to 60 years above. It reflected that to keep pace with modernization or to fill up increased gap with Bengali settlers, indigenous men are moving from primitive non hegemonic order to hegemonic order as existing situation is forcing them to grow up with competitive mind for survival purpose. Gigantic gap among men of three generations, in terms of their perception on what it ought to be a ‘real man' signifies how stereotypical gender norms, values, practices are getting engrossed in indigenous Marma communities which is putting serious impact in gender relationships by leaving indigenous women in vulnerable state.