ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter details the key arguments and rationale behind this volume and shows the manner in which the chapters are interlinked in highlighting the power of space and agential spaces of power over different regional contexts in India.
The author argues that while patriarchy may be universal, its construction is not uniform. The link between the gross geographical contexts and the social construction of gender roles in India is reiterated. It is emphasized that in India, the constructs of gender vary by region, and these initial constructs lay the foundations for a variety of capabilities and constraints, such as gendered access to public spaces, household resources, participation in public life, decision-making and degree of personal or collective agency. Based on these, a notion of regional genderscapes is advanced. The idea of personal or collective agency can only be understood in the context of these genderscapes, which underline the importance of geographical and social locations.
