Grassroots groups and poor women's empowerment in rural India

Bibliographic Data

ID2355178
AuthorsMangala Subramaniam (0000-0002-8618-8977, Purdue University, USA, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume27
Issue1
Pages72-95
Publication date2012-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0268-5809 • E-ISSN: 1461-7242
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0268580911423044
OpenAlexW2089471410
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited43

Organizing grassroots groups, particularly among the deeply disadvantaged may require initial facilitation through a leader. This article suggests that such facilitative leadership will adopt a diffused form with increased participation and involvement of members in groups. Thereafter, members are less likely to rely on the facilitative leader for decision-making or collective action. Based on primary data from sanghas organized as grassroots groups through the Mahila Samakhya Karnataka (MSK) program in rural India, the article examines the effects of group characteristics; structure and leadership; and individual participation on the political-cultural empowerment of members. The analyses suggest that older bureaucratic grassroots groups are more likely to be empowering for women members. Members' involvement in the process of creating, setting up and adopting rules and procedures is significant for change within the family and the community, particularly for the poor illiterate dalit women in this case

Bureaucracy · Collective action · Disadvantaged · Economic growth · Empowerment · Facilitation · Grassroots · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Gender Studies · Law · Microfinance and Financial Inclusion · Social and Economic Development in India