Asztalos Morell, Ildikó
- Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Mälardalen University
Research article2020Peer reviewedOpen access
Morell, Ildiko Asztalos; De, Santa; Mahadalkar, Pravina; Johansson, Carl; Gustafsson, Lena-Karin
The preferential form of living for the elderly in India is within the extended family. India is undergoing rapid economic development, an increase in mobility, and changes in gender norms due to an increase in women's labour force participation, which places challenges on traditional intergenerational relationships. Ageing and the well-being of the elderly is a rising concern, especially considering that their proportion of the population is expected to grow rapidly in coming decades. There is a lack of universal state provision for the elderly's basic needs, which is especially profound for elderly women, since most do not have an independent income. This leaves the elderly dependent upon the benevolence of their adult children's families or other relatives. This paper explores, with help of narrative analysis and critical contributions from capability theory, elderly women's agency freedoms and how this can be contextualised with their varying capability sets. With help of Spivak's notion of the silent subaltern, the paper anchors elderly women's abilities to voice to their agency freedom. The master narrative of the silent supportive wife and side-lined mother-in-law as well as three counter-narratives explore alternative agencies taken by elderly women.
ageing; India; women; narrative; subaltern; Hindu; capability; agency freedom; elderly; family care; care regime
International journal of environmental research and public health
2020, Volume: 17, number: 23, article number: 8779
Publisher: MDPI
SDG5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
SDG3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238779
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109458