Elective interdependence: Understanding individual agency and interpersonal relationships in Indian families

Abstract

Parents’ beliefs and ethnotheories about family life in general and childcare in particular contain explicit and implicit ideas about the manner in which children ought to be raised. Cultural scripts, family situations, and parents’ own beliefs and experiences have been known to guide parenting choices. Cultural practices in India have been deeply influenced by the textured history of external influence. In present times, increased mobility, changes in occupation, and global influences are exerting new pressures on the enduring character of the Indian family. This paper addresses the domain of parental beliefs about patterns of interactions within the family and their understanding of children’s agency. The underlying assumption is that parents in urban middle-class families will be focusing on issues of agency and autonomy for children on account of perceived changes in social expectations. The paper explores the mediations that adults report between the traditional expectations of conformity and persuasive thrust for autonomy when it comes to beliefs about and expectations of their children. The paper specifically addresses the beliefs of mothers with children 3—6 years old, living in New Delhi, India. ‘Elective interdependence’ is the term we have used to describe the deliberate fluctuation of self—other boundaries as mothers negotiate relationships with others for their children and for themselves. The dynamics of mothers’ beliefs indicate dialogicality in the manifestation of seemingly contradictory ideologies regarding interpersonal relationships and individual conduct.