Beyond Enrolment and Appropriation Politics in Dalit Girls’ Education: Caste and Patriarchy Among Scavenging Communities of Urban Haryana, India

Abstract

While contemplating on Dalit girls’ education, a large body of research and policy drafts generally draws from the integration of enrolment and appropriation politics (around being a ‘Dalit’ and ‘women’) to explore the educational experiences and challenges of Dalit girls in the Indian education system. However, less attention is given to what lies beyond the enrolment and appropriation politics in Dalit girls’ education. This article is based on an empirical study conducted among households associated with ‘Unclean’ occupations from two urban cities of Haryana. In order to position Dalit girls’ education beyond enrolment and appropriation politics, the article attempts to unmask the ‘multiple patriarchies’ embedded in the socio-economic barriers often pervading Dalit girls in the Indian education system. While doing so, the article demonstrates the inseparable intersectionality of caste and gender, through the workings of external Brahmanical as well as internal Dalit patriarchy simultaneously functioning against Dalit girls’ education. Eventually, the article calls for a need to position Dalit girls’ education in a Dalit feminist standpoint framework.

Poverty and Women's Access in Higher Education: Dynamics, Prospects, Shared Choices of Liman-Benawi Women Education

“…The difficulty of finding common ground for equality is inseparable from the patriarchal culture influence which is still a guide and manner in socio-economic status (Sudarso et al, 2019). Simultaneously, socio-economic barriers become multiple patriarchies that urge women to remain within their sphere (Shokeen, 2022). Reasons based on social and economic aspects in poor families like this become obstacles that are difficult for women to resolve and they tend to accept the consequences.…”