Papers by Jyothsna Belliappa
Gender, Class and Reflexive Modernity in India, 2013
Travail, genre et sociétés, 2013
In this paper I draw on accounts of women teachers from the Anglo-Indian community to respond to ... more In this paper I draw on accounts of women teachers from the Anglo-Indian community to respond to a debate that occurred in the Indian media in 2018 regarding the representation of the sari as the ‘national dress’. This debate occurred following the comments of celebrated fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee at Harvard University, USA, where he stated that Indian women who do not know how to tie a sari should be ashamed of themselves. Mukherjee went on to equate the sari with national identity, thereby otherising the sartorial traditions and cultural identities of many linguistic, regional and religious minorities in India including Anglo-Indians. Mukherjee’s position is not isolated. It is seen that women’s bodies often become the sites on which national and community identities are inscribed. For instance, until a few years ago, some Anglo-Indian schools in Bangalore required women teachers from the community to wear Western dress. Based on women teachers’ accounts I argue that p...
Sudarshana Sen’s 2017 monograph offers a valuable feminist understanding of Anglo-Indian women’s ... more Sudarshana Sen’s 2017 monograph offers a valuable feminist understanding of Anglo-Indian women’s location within intersecting axes of inequality based on gender, ethnicity and class. Based on one hundred interviews (ninety with women and ten with men) amongst the Anglo-Indian community in Kolkata she explores women’s subjective experience of marginalisation both within and outside the community. Sen argues that women are positioned within multiple and intersecting patriarchies which limit their autonomy and life choices.
The Indian information technology industry is popularly believed to be a very hospitable employer... more The Indian information technology industry is popularly believed to be a very hospitable employer for women. It is known for fairly progressive policies towards women employees and its strong stand against sex discrimination and harassment. However, in spite of written policies and procedures, cases of sexual harassment do occur and require investigation. This article uses qualitative research to explore women’s experiences of sexual harassment in the Indian information technology industry, juxtaposing these with managerial responses to harassment complaints. Using qualitative research it investigates how cultural norms of regarding women’s behaviour can influence management’s attitudes to sexual harassment complaints. The article concludes that while written policies may constitute a vital step towards creating a conducive work environment for women, they may not always be enough in mitigating the influence of an andro-centric culture in management’s or recipient’s response to sexu...
Women and Fluid Identities, 2012
Contemporary Education Dialogue, 2015
The International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities, and Nations: Annual Review, 2007
Gender, Class and Reflexive Modernity in India, 2013
Gender, Class and Reflexive Modernity in India, 2013
Gender, Class and Reflexive Modernity in India, 2013
Gender, Class and Reflexive Modernity in India, 2013
Menstrual leave raises a number of questions regarding women’s health, workforce participation an... more Menstrual leave raises a number of questions regarding women’s health, workforce participation and gender equity at work. This paper addresses the issue in the context of urban women in the organized workforce. Their access to clean, safe toilets at work and at home puts them at a relative advantage compared to women in the unorganized sector. Menstrual leave policies, though well-intentioned, could have negative consequences for gender equity and need to be deployed with caution. The debate on the policy has raised important issues related to how workplaces can be more inclusive of women’s bodies. It is suggested that discussions on gender inclusivity must take into account the intersection of gender with age, class and position in the organizational hierarchy.
Given the increasing academic interest in the middle classes in the 21 st century, this paper arg... more Given the increasing academic interest in the middle classes in the 21 st century, this paper argues for a reconsideration of existing definition of the middle classes India. It suggests that definitions based on household income or expenditure might be a useful starting point but are not enough in themselves as they do not allow for understanding social and cultural factors that define middle class position. They also tend to mask some of the ways in which money and cultural capital circulate in middle class families. Drawing on empirical research amongst women employed in the Indian information technology industry, it contends that women play an important role in accumulating and transmitting economic and cultural capital in the middle classes which needs to be acknowledged. It also argues for taking into account individuals' own self-representations as members of the middle class within academic definitions of class.
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Papers by Jyothsna Belliappa