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The politics of gendered space: Social norms and purdah affecting female informal work in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Author(s) -
Lata Lutfun Nahar,
Walters Peter,
Roitman Sonia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
gender, work and organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.159
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0432
pISSN - 0968-6673
DOI - 10.1111/gwao.12562
Subject(s) - realm , public space , politics , slum , sociology , space (punctuation) , gender studies , informal sector , sex work , work (physics) , political science , economic growth , economics , law , population , mechanical engineering , engineering , architectural engineering , medicine , linguistics , philosophy , demography , family medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Labor markets are still heavily gendered everywhere, even when women's participation in the labor market is greater now than at any other time in history. Existing research shows poor women's participation in the informal economy is higher than men's in many parts of the Global South. However, this is not the case in Bangladesh. Poor Muslim women's participation, particularly where they require access to public space, is lower than men due to persistent patriarchal norms, reflected in social and religious expectations of women. Drawing on interview data with female street vendors from a slum in Dhaka, this article explores the dynamics of social and religious norms that constrain poor Muslim women's access to public space to earn income. This article contributes to the literature on gender, religion, and work by highlighting that the parochial realm offers a safer space for operating businesses without breaking social norms and by arguing that poor Muslim women experience social and religious barriers rather than legal ones. Non‐legal barriers are more amenable to change as a result, which is important for empowering women.