Muslim girls’ journey of ‘Struggle’ and ‘Negotiations’ in the neo-liberal era

Pages: 363-368
Vaishali (Department of Educational Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi)

The present paper is a part of researcher’s doctoral work related to education of Muslim women in a Muslim habitation of North East Delhi. The paper explored the two binaries of social change, one which is transitional yet slow in terms of access of education for Muslim females; another is the gendered aspect of this social change, in terms of negotiations made within household and mobility. The author had in-depth interviews with the respondents and their mothers. Taking three case studies of adolescent Muslim girls, who just completed their school education, researcher reflected on the negotiations and strategies made by the young women in taking up different assignments related to their education, career and mobility. The paper threw light on their resistance in the form of bargaining to complete school education, pursue distance higher education or doing courses like- computer, tailoring, English speaking, and expressing their desire for love marriage etc. The habitation the local dominant culture of fostering seclusion of male-female but girls’ have discovered ways of entering the public sphere by adopting different yet limited strategies within their households.