Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Marginalized Women and Development in South India

博士论文改进补助金：印度南部的边缘化妇女与发展

• 批准号: 1260520
• 负责人: Jennifer Cole
• 金额: $ 1.52万
• 依托单位: University of Chicago
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-02-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1260520&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Marginalized

Kimberly Walters (University of Chicago), under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Cole, will research how individuals who engage in socially stigmatized work leverage international debates about exploitative labor practices. This proposal examines a group of marginalized women in Hyderabad, India as they attempt to not only secure international development funds but to also negotiate a new role for themselves in the ongoing project of Indian nationalism. Walters' research will explore the development industry's influences on culture change and ways in which recipients of "development" turn such initiatives to their own purposes. Her ethnography will problematize the binary between "empowerment" and "victimization" that has polarized various NGOs and other organizations that work with marginalized women, and question the widespread claim that women remain in these social stigmatized occupations only out of economic coercion, and demonstrate ways in which international rehabilitation efforts are entrenching conservative gender roles in India.Walters will collect data through (1) ethnographic observations among community-based organizations (CBOs) and at public events in which these workers collectively represent themselves; (2) interviews with both NGO personnel who seek to "empower" women within this work and those who alternatively seek to "rehabilitate" them; with leaders who interface between the development industry and workers; with workers who are the targets of development strategies; and with politicians, police, and judges who control the allotment of social services that Indian citizens require; and (3) written and visual materials through which multinational organizations, NGOs and unions represent themselves to various publics.The findings of Walters' research will be relevant to public health officials and to the Indian legal system, which is presently considering various legislation related to labor reform of labor practices.

金伯利·沃尔特斯(芝加哥大学)在詹妮弗·科尔博士的指导下，将研究从事社会污名化工作的个人如何利用关于剥削性劳动做法的国际辩论。这项提案调查了印度海得拉巴的一群边缘化妇女，她们不仅试图获得国际发展资金，而且还试图在正在进行的印度民族主义项目中为自己谈判一个新的角色。沃尔特斯的研究将探索发展行业对文化变化的影响，以及“发展”的接受者如何将这些倡议转化为他们自己的目的。她的民族志将使“赋权”和“受害”之间的二元化成为问题，这种二元化使与边缘化妇女打交道的各种非政府组织和其他组织两极分化，并质疑妇女仍然从事这些社会污名化职业仅仅是因为经济胁迫的普遍说法，并展示国际康复努力如何在印度巩固保守的性别角色。沃尔特斯将通过(1)在社区组织(CBO)和这些工作者共同代表自己的公共活动中进行民族志观察来收集数据；(2)采访寻求在这项工作中“赋予”妇女权力的非政府组织人员和那些寻求“恢复”她们的人；与发展行业和工人之间的领导人打交道；与作为发展战略目标的工人打交道；与控制印度公民所需社会服务分配的政客、警察和法官打交道；以及(3)跨国组织、非政府组织和工会向不同公众展示自己的书面和视觉材料。沃尔特斯的研究结果将与公共卫生官员和印度法律体系相关，印度法律体系目前正在考虑与劳动实践的劳动改革有关的各种立法。