This dissertation research award will support an anthropology graduate student in the Indian Himalayas to study the socio- economic implications of male out-migration on indigenous gender perceptions. Women in the local society often manage domestic as well as agricultural work since their husbands are away. Traditional views on the sexual division of labor will be analyzed. Methods used include structured and informal interviews, censuses, cognitive analyses and time allocation studies in a context of an extensive period of participant observation. This research is important because male labor migration occurs in most regions of the world, and understanding how the absence of males affects the behavior and understanding of women's places in society can help us understand how to stimulate economic development in the local areas.
