An Analysis Of Deniz Kandiyoti's Patriarchal Bargains

Deniz Kandiyoti analyses how women cope and strategize within constraints, calls it ‘patriarchal bargains’, in two different forms of patriarchy, one is the sub-Saharan Africa other is the classic belt of patriarchy consisting of the middle east, south Asia and east Asia. Moreover, Kandiyoti also discusses how women respond to oppression in two different parts of the world which have an impact on their gendered subjectivities as well as create opportunities for transformation.

We need to unpack the idea of patriarchy and in order to develop a better understanding of patriarchal societies in different parts of the world; we need to look into the material organization of those societies such as rights over land as per customary norm, autonomy within patriarchy, etc. The Sub-Saharan Africa shows the existence of material relationship that men and women have with their land which is different from the one that existed in the classic belt of patriarchy. Women

Participation of women themselves in gendered structures that continue to define their roles and identities, submissive nature and reluctance to challenge the male dominance marks their belief in the patriarchal order. They believe that the advantages that they receive by being part of the patriarchal order are much more than what they would get if they challenged the prevailing system and hence disengages them from empowering activities. We can also see how the society constructs the ‘ideal women’ and notice the conscious effort by women to fit in to this loyal and respectable role. In one of the documentaries, named When four friends meet (2000) by Rahul Roy, he interacts with four best friends from Jehangirpuri district in Delhi, shows the ground reality of the backward areas. A man says that he wants to marry a woman who stays at home and he would not allow his wife to go out and work especially in