Experiences, Challenges and Resistance: A Study of Dalit women's Experiences in Higher Educational Institutions in Odisha, India

Abstract

This thesis examines the experiences of Dalit women in higher educational institutions in Odisha, India, and how the culture of higher education impacts their lives. It investigates how Dalit women continue to experience gender and caste-related obstacles in higher education institutions. The study employed qualitative ethnographic approach to explore and examine how Dalit women participate in and experience the culture of higher education in Odisha. Data collection constituted fundamental methods: in-depth individual interviews and group discussions of 21 Dalit women currently studying at university. The study applies the Dalit feminist standpoint theory to understand, analyse, and interpret the findings. The researcher herself is a part of the Dalit community and, therefore, takes an insider's perspective. The research shows how Dalit women negotiate, navigate and resist discrimination and exclusion during their higher study. The findings reveal that the participants have faced multiple forms of oppression all through their academic life - from schooling to higher education. It gives vivid insights into how Indian society views and treats Dalit women. The research further reveals that despite all hurdles, Dalit women have demonstrated their resilience, commitment to resistance and activism by contributing their knowledge and acting as agents of change. Their efforts to break down gender and caste-based barriers demonstrated their dedication to challenge, fight and survive these barriers. Dalit Women students served at the institutional level and provided leadership in the community. Dalit women’s discourse on gender and caste will impact a positive change in higher educational institutions and society at large.