A Case Study in Gender, Difference and Common
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ENGENDERING THE COMMONS: A CASE STUDY IN GENDER, DIFFERENCE AND COMMON PROPERTY IN HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA This is an authorized facsimile, made from the microfilm master copy of the original dissertation or master thesis published by UMI. The bibliographic information for this thesis is contained in UMI's Dissertation Abstracts database, the only central source for accessing almost every doctoral dissertation accepted in North America since 1861. A Bell & Howell Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1346 1-800-521-0600 734-761-4700 http://www.umi.com Printed in 1999 by digital xerographic process on acid-free paper DPBT Engendering the Commons: A Case Study in Gender, Difference and Common Property in Himachal Pradesh, India By Kerril J. Davidson-Hunt A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Anthropology University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba ©July, 1995 The quality of this microform is La qualite de cette microforme heavily dependent upon the depend grandement de la qualite quality of the original thesis de la these soumise au submitted for microfilming. microfilmage. Nous avons tout Every effort has been made to fait pour assurer une qualite ensure the highest quality of superieure de reproduction. reproduction possible. If pages are missing, contact the S'il manque des pages, veuillez university which granted the communiquer avec I'universite degree. qui a confere le grade. 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The author reserves other publication rights, and neither the thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be printed or other-wise reproduced without the author's written permission. ABSTRACT The focus of Engendering the Commons: A Case Study in Gender, Difference and Common Property in Himachal Pradesh, India is women's use of common property, primarily village forests, and how women of different caste and economic status use common lands for distinct needs. The research is theoretically framed by a perspective in difference, and bounded by common property as a parameter for study. Research is based upon 10 weeks of fieldwork, undertaking interviews with women in 33 households in two small agricultural villages in the Kullu Valley. The present research supports theory at a macro-level that rural villagers are highly dependent upon common property resources, and may therefore have interest? in defending village commons from degradation. At a micro-level, however, this study suggests that there is stratification by caste and class within rural villages that ultimately leaves the poorest within the village outside management and influence in decision- making over village common lands In this study, 97% of the women interviewed used village commons for the collection of firewood, fodder and/or cow bedding, although each woman relied upon the commons for distinct livelihood needs Households with limited land and cattle resources required products from the commons to sustain agricultural livelihoods. The near-landless often used village commons to gather products for sale or to be utilized within reciprocal relationships with kin households. Within this context of differing needs from village commons, a women's organization, the Mahila Mandal, had organized to protect village forests from continuing environmental degradation The diversity of needs from village commons, as well as women's differing positions within the village socio-political structure, was found to create conflict at the village level over the management and issues of control of common lands. The study concludes that a perspective in difference brings a closer understanding of 'community' management of 'common' resources. If ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The thesis presented overt the next few pages would not have been possible without several key people. First and foremost, I want to sincerely thank my advisor, Dr. Ellen R. Judd in the Department of Anthropology for her continual support, and for the attention she has given to seeing this project through to completion. I cannot thank her enough for her guidance in clarifying issues and reflecting on the research I have undertaken. I would also like to thank Dr. Fikret Berkes from the Natural Resources Institute for his role in my thesis work. Thanks to Dr Berkes for inviting me to join the research project in India, for input in the field at a critical point during fieldwork, and also for his very supportive approach through the whole process. I would also like to thank Dr. G N. Ramu from the Department of Sociology who has provided a critical and invaluable assessment of this document. His thorough comments and serious attention to this work is greatly appreciated. Also, thanks to Dr. James S. Gardner for his expertise on India, and especially for providing strength and guidance to the team of student researchers arriving in India in June of 1994 These people have truly been invaluable in their encouragement, and continual support. The research for this thesis was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Partnership Programme of the Shastri Indo- Canadian Institute as part of the project on "Sustainable Development of Mountain Environments in India and Canada." The project is based at the University of Manitoba, the University of Delhi, and the Indian Institute of Science, and is carried out in cooperation with the International Institute of Sustainable Development. III In addition I want to thank Dr. John Sinclair for his support both in the field as well as during the writing. In India, Dr. R. B Singh was of great assistance, welcoming us to the University of Delhi. I also would like to express a warm gratitude to our University of Delhi counterparts Mr. G S Chauhan and Mr B.W. Pandey for their friendship, warm welcome and care during our time in India. Laurie Ham and Colin Duffield also deserve credit for their part in this effort. In so many ways, this research has been a collaborative effort between our close team of researchers, and principal investigators, although I must take sole responsibility for what is written in this thesis I would like to thank my sister and brother, Kathy Boutwell and Tim Davidson, and their families, for their emotional support. I also want to thank Florence and Jack Hunt for their unceasing interest and encouragement in the whole process Iain Davidson-Hunt has been of indescribable support, and we in fact, have gone through this experience together, from the preparation and fieldwork, to writing stages For his support and encouragement in ways I could not count in this brief space, I truly cannot thank enough. He has been of immense help conceptually as well as emotionally, and has patiently supported me through this, while working on his own thesis Last of all, I must express my most sincere gratitude to the women in Chachoga and Goshal. It is difficult to capture in writing the strength and dignity of the women who made this research. The Mahila Mandal in Chachoga will always be a special memory as they showed me what life was in the Kullu Valley, and shared their lives with me openly and graciously for a brief moment of their incredible lives during the monsoon season of 1994. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . II ACKNOWLEDGMENTS III TABLE OF CONTENTS V LIST OF FIGURES VII LIST OF TABLES VIII 1.