Natural Landscapes and Regional Constructs of Gender: Theorizing Linkages in the Indian Context

Abstract

This article theorizes the influence of natural landscape or terrain on the construction of feminine gender roles in India. Throughout the discussion, an attempt is made to understand the regional nuances in the construction of feminine gender roles with a reference to the role of terrain or natural landscape. Primarily, by virtue of their terrain conditions, landscapes, it is argued, lay the foundations for the emergence of a specific set of cultural conditions. These cultural layers, which include a specific kinship regime, work in tandem to create and sustain regional gender constructs. Thus, the basis of regional differences in the construction of femininity and feminine gender roles may be traced in part to specific types of natural landscapes or terrain and the demand for women’s labor that they evoke. The latter is itself contingent upon, among other factors, the productivity of agricultural land. Despite significant changes in society, the relevance of these natural landscapeinspired constructs of gender remains.