An exploration of the traditional division of labour between the sexes in South Indian crafts
Brouwer, J.
Invisible hands women in home based production: 145-163
1987
Document Number: 378594
The implications of women's participation in traditional craft production in Karnataka, South India, is examined in terms of the Hindu worldview. 14 crafts are first categorized into three groups, those in which women participate fully, partially, and not at all. These patterns of division of labour between the sexes are then explained in terms of the liminalities of the body and the Hindu universe which establish certain boundaries over which women cannot traverse. This division is beginning to break down among certain groups, such as Muslim migrants and scheduled castes, who are entering crafts formerly closed to them. The result is more equal participation of men and women.