Abstract
This chapter argues that the pessimistic conclusions of the Marxist school of writers were leading feminism towards a dead end. It identifies the shortcomings of the Marxist feminist writers, and reviews the newly emerging body of feminist work, which explores how marginalised women adopt means and strategies of resistance—starting from demonic possession and mass hysteria to militant unionism—to cope with the pressures of patriarchy and carve out some space to exercise their agency. This chapter integrates this literature along with the work of economist Herbert Simon and of sociologist Cynthia Hakim to establish the framework of this study. We argue that women test the limits that a patriarchal society sets to their agency through continual negotiation and bargaining, attempting to attain a more or less satisfactory balance between multiple conflicting goals (satisficing), rather than maximising. This evolutionary process often enables women to improve their agency in a phased manner.
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Notes
- 1.
For instance, the Dong-II textile strikes continued from 1976 to 1980.
- 2.
For instance, Riessman (2000) reports, critical and contemptuous comments directed towards childless (educated and employed) women are transformed by them as ridiculous images of the traditional order to be reported to and laughed over with similar childless women.
- 3.
‘A great many women ‘hang loose’ and refuse to choose fixed objectives, drifting with events and opportunities as they arise, pretending they can keep all their options open by refusing to close the door on any of them’ (Hakim 1996b, p. 208).
- 4.
For instance, widows are supposed to be provided support by male members (Seymour 1999, p. 111). Although such help is not always forthcoming, the possibility of means of assistance being available will act as a disincentive to resistance against patriarchy, give the marginalised position of women.
- 5.
- 6.
‘In recent years, she (Mrs. Tripathy) has assumed practically all responsibility for the family as her elderly responsibility has grown senile. Her once distanced and respectful relationship with him has, by necessity, been transformed (our emphasis) (Seymour 1999, p. 124).
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Husain, Z., Dutta, M. (2014). Women and Work: Towards an Alternative Approach. In: Women in Kolkata’s IT Sector. SpringerBriefs in Sociology. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1593-6_3
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