Renegotiating Patriarchy

In 'Renegotiating Patriarchy', Naila Kabeer digs into what has become known as the 'Bangladesh paradox', the surprising social progress this country has achieved despite starting from a position of extreme poverty, weak governance, and deeply entrenched patriarchal norms. Bangladesh was once dismissed as an 'international basket case', seemingly stuck in a development dead end, yet it has since delivered outcomes that are both pro-poor and gender equitable, a turnaround that has fascinated the international development community.

Kabeer traces the history of the Bengal delta to understand the forces that shaped Bangladeshi society at independence. Drawing on extensive ethnographic and quantitative research, she builds a compelling case that much of this progress stems from the everyday agency of ordinary, often very poor, women. The book shows how norms and practices can shift in progressive directions even under the most unpropitious circumstances, as these women worked to renegotiate what was once called one of the world's most non-negotiable patriarchies. It is an essential read for anyone interested in gender, development, and social change in South Asia.