Breadwinner Role In Punjabi Women

The notion of the ‘breadwinner’ has historically been used to define relationships within families and societies. As family units respond to the dynamic of their social and economic surroundings, the concept of the breadwinner role changes. In the developing world, traditional family systems are running up against the demand of industrial production and modernization, and the taking up of paid work by women is often the locus, and focus of conflicts (Gill & Matthews, 1995). With that being said, for the purpose of this paper, I argue that the role of Punjabi women has started to emerge in the sense that they are now participating in the workforce, and are not simply adhering to their typical gender roles. I will shed light on how Punjabi women …show more content…
Scholars have by and large discussed three core concepts, which include; the traditional breadwinner role in Punjab; changes in this role in Punjabi in contemporary society; and changes in the breadwinner role in Punjabi families who have migrated to Western countries. In the first case, research suggests that prior to World War I, most Punjabis lived in peasant villages where farming was the major economic activity (Gill & Matthews, 1995). During this time, men were responsible for agricultural production or running businesses, and women played a vital role in the home by making food, and bearing children. In essence, women were considered weaker and dependent on their male counterparts. However, this is somewhat contradicting because women play a direct role in farming operations, but yet men were generally defined as the breadwinners. Furthermore, in her study, Sharma points out that women in a Punjabi village are responsible for the care and breeding of milk cattle and buffaloes (Sharma, 1980). Milk from a cow brings forth a considerable amount of cash income with every lactation period, so here women do participate in bringing home a type of