Synopses & Reviews
Sita's Daughters vividly recounts the dramatic changes in role and status experienced by Rajput caste women in the Indian village Khalapur between 1955 and 1975. In the 20 years between her now-classic original field study and her follow-up with the same families, Leigh Minturn witnessed a significant decline in the women's observance of a complex system of customs collectively called purdah, which includes the wearing of veils, silence in the presence of senior men and women, the adoption of subservient postures when speaking to men, and the separation of husbands and wives. Her interviews with mothers- and daughters-in-law reveal how changes in purdah customs and religious traditions have allowed them increased access to education and health facilities, control of finances, and autonomy inside and mobility outside of their husbands' households. This work is unprecedented in its depth, scope, and exposition of the intimate details of the lives of Indian women. Minturn's return to her original subjects allowed her to observe firsthand the changes that had transpired during the interim, resulting in the only Indian village field study to span two generations. Having won the trust and confidence of her subjects, the author poignantly conveys their individuality, along with their stories of heroism, loyalty, infidelity, rape, incest, theft, and even murder. With even-handedness and detailed scholarship, Minturn makes use of methods such as systematic sampling and structured interviewing that are effective in capturing the richness of Indian village life, though they are uncommon in anthropological studies. The wide range of issues addressed here will be of interest to students and researchers in women's studies, South Asian studies, anthropology, and cross-cultural psychology, as well as to interested laypersons.
Synopsis
This is a handy reference for students, teachers, and practitioners in the sciences and technical subjects, especially engineering and physics. More than 3500 conversion factors are given directly. Calculated from internationally agreed upon primary conversion factors, all factors are given to
the greatest possible accuracy within a limit of ten significant figures. The conversion factors are grouped into unit types by areas of application, ranging from angular acceleration to volume flow. The primary conversion factors used in deriving all the others are given in separate sections. Also
of practical help are sections of common mathematical and engineering formulae together with numerical values of certain common material properties (strengths, densities, and thermal properties).
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 359-361) and indexes.
About the Author
Leigh Minturn is a professor of psychology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Table of Contents
PART I: Constancy and Change 1. The Khalapur Rajputs: 1955-1975
PART II: Two Villages: Parent's Haven, Husband's Prison
2. Marriage: From Daughter to Wife
3. Purdah: Respect-Avoidance, Dominance-Submission
4. Changing Times
PART III: Economy
5. Land and Dowry
6. Domestic Economy: Chores, Chuulus, Cash, and Clothing
PART IV: Religion
7. The Pantheon: One Divinity with Many Names
8. Ritual and Recreation
PART V: Women's Nature
9. Women's Nature: Honor and Shakti
10. Widows: Rand, Sati, Bhaktani
PART VI: Health and Education
11. Family Planning and Child Health
12. Socialization
13. Education
PART VII: Sum and Substance
14. Sita's Daughters: A Profile
15. Towards Equality