Mobile phones, mothers, and patriarchy

Understanding digital interactions of adolescent Indian rural girls under watchful eyes

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6441998
AutoresSanju Kumawat (Central University of Punjab), Chhavi Garg (0000-0003-2629-9939, Central University of Punjab)
Año2025
Volumen47
Número5
Páginas972-988
Fecha de publicación2025-03-11
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaMedia Culture & Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0163-4437 • E-ISSN: 1460-3675
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/01634437251320845
OpenAlexW4408384811
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas36

As mobile media is expanding its roots in rural spheres of the Global South, and that too among girls and women, concerns related to their engagement with digital technologies are also emerging. These concerns are emerging owing to the belief that women are not capable enough to handle digital technologies and may fall prey to untoward and harmful activities. This study tries to understand if and how mothers in rural households become gatekeepers of everyday digital practices of young girls in the global south through in-depth interviews with girls and their mothers living in villages in India. Mothers are found to be reinforcing the patriarchal norms in the mobile phone usage of their daughters and hence, further the concept of patriarchy in the online sphere. This enforcement might emerge as an important factor in gender digital divide in the Global South

Patriarchy · Sociology · Watchful waiting · Child Development and Digital Technology · Gender Studies · ICT Impact and Policies · ICT in Developing Communities · Medicine · Psychology