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

金伯利·沃尔特斯（芝加哥大学），在詹妮弗科尔博士的监督下，将研究谁从事社会污名化的工作的个人如何利用关于剥削劳动实践的国际辩论。这一建议审查了印度海得拉巴的一群被边缘化的妇女，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争取一个新的角色。沃尔特斯的研究将探讨发展产业对文化变革的影响，以及“发展”的接受者如何将这些举措转化为自己的目的。她的民族志将质疑“赋权”和“受害”之间的二元对立，这种二元对立使各种非政府组织和其他从事边缘化妇女工作的组织两极分化，并质疑普遍认为妇女只是出于经济胁迫才继续从事这些社会污名化职业的说法，并展示国际康复工作如何在印度巩固保守的性别角色。沃尔特斯将通过以下方式收集数据：在社区组织中以及在这些工人集体代表自己参加的公共活动中进行人种学观察;（2）与在这项工作中寻求“赋予”妇女权力的非政府组织人员以及寻求“恢复”妇女地位的非政府组织人员进行访谈;与在发展行业和工人之间进行沟通的领导人进行访谈;与作为发展战略目标的工人进行访谈;以及控制印度公民所需社会服务分配的政客、警察和法官;以及（3）跨国组织、非政府组织和工会向各种公众代表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的法律的体系有关，该委员会目前正在审议与劳动实践的劳动改革有关的各种立法。

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.