2016 Theses Doctoral

Women's Agency and Power: Mapping gender regimes and health-related practices in rural Tamil Nadu, India

Thummalachetty, Nityanjali

This dissertation aims to contextualize the normative and structural constraints on women's bodies, health, and wellbeing in rural Tamil Nadu, India. Using theoretical frameworks by R.W. Connell and Michel Foucault, this qualitative study explores the intersection of gender and power at interpersonal-, institutional-, and community-levels. Findings from this research highlight specific manifestations of the local gender regime that women may need to overcome to better care for their bodies and selves.