Being Single in India: Stories of Gender, Exclusion, and Possibility

A new ethnography by Sarah Lamb explores the trend of single women living in India, examining the complex social-cultural and political-economic contexts that make living outside marriage increasingly possible but challenging. The book offers a remarkable portrait of a way of life experienced by women across class and caste divides, and argues that never-married women can illuminate society's broader social-cultural values.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

In today's world, a significant portion of the global population resides in countries experiencing a decline in marriage rates, which has far-reaching consequences for women, gender, and sexuality. In her meticulously researched ethnography, Sarah Lamb delves into the gendered phenomenon of single women living in India, exploring the factors that make it increasingly feasible yet challenging for women to live outside of marriage. Through the captivating stories of women ranging in age from 35 to 92, the book offers a remarkable portrayal of a way of life experienced by women across different social classes, castes, sexual orientations, and marital statuses.

For women in India, the intricate interplay of social, cultural, and political-economic factors shapes their lives and decisions, often leading to unintended consequences of avoiding marriage. Lamb argues that single women possess the ability to shed light on the broader social-cultural values of their society, offering a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on prevailing systems of gender, sexuality, kinship, freedom, and social belonging in India today.

This captivating ethnography not only sheds light on the experiences of single women in India but also contributes to our understanding of the complex dynamics shaping contemporary societies worldwide.

Weight: 414g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520389427