Women's Caring in India: The Intersecting Public and Private Sphere

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine some aspects of Indian women's roles as they are played out in the public and private spheres of their lives. In the process, it traces the history of reform movements for women in 19th and 20th Century India and identifies the predominant reassertion of caring roles. The engendering of women's caring roles constitutes socialization processes visible in everyday interaction, in media, folklore, and practice that are subsequently examined here. The widespread notion of women working as “supplementary” or secondary income earners in India has been associated with the withdrawal of women from the labor force, whereby the status of the family or community is buttressed. Much of women's work of caring, however, is performed not only in the private household/familial spheres, but also in less visible niches within public arenas, as both agriculture and industries use family and informal labor and thus employ large and increasing numbers of women workers. The important concern that emerges here is on how women can and should derive control over resources and can be empowered. Thus the public-private framework has to be viewed and clearly defined within a particular social context it we seek to meaningfully address these questions about the inter-penetration of public and private spheres in the lives of women. These are politically charged issues are addressed by women's groups and other development initiatives and are relevant not only within public spheres, but also within domestic or private arenas.