Women And Kinship: Comparative Perspectives On Gender In South And South-east Asia

Women And Kinship: Comparative Perspectives On Gender In South And South-east Asia
Tags: Leela Dube

This work sets out to compare the situation of women in South and South-East Asia and argues that kinship systems provide an important context in which gender relations are located. It looks at three types of kinship system found in their various forms in the two regions of Asia - patrilineal in South Asia and bilateral in South-East Asia, with a presence of matriliny in both. The treatment of kinship departs from what has been found, with gender permeating the examination of chosen themes. The results obtained suggest that South-East Asian women's degree of autonomy in economic and social life contrasts with the situation in South Asia which is characterized by strong patriliny and women's lack of rights. This work sets out to compare the situation of women in South and South-East Asia and argues that kinship systems provide an important context in which gender relations are located. It looks at three types of kinship system found in their various forms in the two regions of Asia - patrilineal in South Asia and bilateral in South-East Asia, with a presence of matriliny in both. The treatment of kinship departs from what has been found, with gender permeating the examination of chosen themes. The results obtained suggest that South-East Asian women's degree of autonomy in economic and social life contrasts with the situation in South Asia which is characterized by strong patriliny and women's lack of rights.