Overlapping Identities under Liberalization: Gender and Caste in India

TLDR

The study reviews identity theories and uses NFHS data to examine changes in gender‑caste overlap in India. It employs the Gender‑Caste Development Index on NFHS data from 1992‑93 to 1998‑99 to assess material living standards among women across caste groups. Results show persistent intercaste gaps among Indian women with regional variation, and suggest early liberalization may have contributed to intergroup disparity, though data limits firm conclusions.

Abstract

This article reviews the major theories on identity and economic outcomes to reiterate that identity affects the material well‐being of individuals. Based on two rounds of data from the National Family and Health Survey, this article attempts to examine changes in two of the several identities in India, namely, the gender‐caste overlap. The Gender‐Caste Development Index (GCDI) from an earlier exercise is used to assess changes in the material standard of living of women within broad caste groups. It turns out that, despite improvements in educational outcomes, substantial intercaste gaps persist within Indian women with major regional variation. The data points cover the period 1992–93 to 1998–99, the start of the liberalization of the Indian economy. Since the data points are separated by only 6–7 years, firm conclusions are not possible; however, based on the evidence from the GCDI, this article comments on the possible links between early liberalization and intergroup disparity.