Women Work and Leisure in the New Millennium_A phenomenological study of contemporary leisure consumption patterns among urban Indian middle class working women

Abstract

The urban professional woman in emerging economies such as India is an increasingly important group today both in terms of purchasing power and participation in the workforce and the positions, they have been able to achieve. Surprisingly little is known about the choices these women make and how they navigate relationships in a patriarchal society. This dissertation explores these issues through the lens of leisure consumption. newlineLeisure choices can be conceptualized as a site for identifying and analysing the changing meanings and experiences of leisure consumption among non-Western women. This inquiry becomes particularly critical given the context of changing gender relationships and roles in transforming societies. These changes among urban female professionals in emerging economies are of particular interest, as they represent a distinct departure in their outlooks, economic roles, and consumption choices from traditional roles and positions prescribed for women in their cultures.Little is known about leisure consumption among professional women in a country like India.This is in contrast to extensive research on this topic in the West. This research contributes to this important gap in leisure research by exploring the patterns of leisure consumption in the lives of urban Indian middle class working (UIMW) women. Leisure theory, identity theory, feminist orientation and perspectives on women s empowerment are employed to analyse the emerging expressions of leisure experiences. newlineThis thesis has four research objectives that delve into the different leisure experiences of urban Indian middle class working (UIMW) women residing in Bangalore, India. Taken together, these four objectives explore: (a) the meanings of leisure; (b) leisure choices and activities (c) constraints and facilitators of leisure; and (d) influence of leisure on relationships. Using a phenomenological approach, 28 urban Indian middle-class women working in Bangalore from varied industry sectors, belonging to different age groups...