Women in Local Governance: An Analysis of Perspectives of Elected Women Representatives on Governance and Politics in Kerala

This article explores how gender socialisation as women and other intersecting identities influence the perspectives of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) on power relations in the political space of Kerala. We probe EWRs’ perspectives about power relations in the domain of governance with reference to the structures and practices of political parties and local governance. Amidst structural barriers against women’s active participation in governance, EWR’s perspectives and experiences show whether and how EWRs can create space for substantive representation. The perspectives are elicited through detailed interviews with EWRs in four Panchayats in Kerala during two periods. The study finds that EWRs’ involvement in local politics and decision-making relies on overcoming representation and acceptance barriers. It is clear from the research findings that EWRs remain strongly tied to the patriarchal system of the societies they live in and serve to progress. The strong linkage to patriarchal norms exists due to EWRs’ position within their social structures—noting how EWRs in their responses brought general strategic questions about the position and choices of females back to a frame of reference comprising their own families and social structures, which are in turn set within caste, religious and political frames.