Patriarchy, Power and Positionality: How do these factors obstruct field research into female safety?

5SSG2047_CW2
5SSG2047 – Fieldwork in Human and Development Geography
Kerala Field Course 2019




Patriarchy, Power and Positionality: How do these factors obstruct field
research into female safety?


Including an Interpretive Observation of geographies of beauty in India and the
fetishization of ‘whiteness’
(700 words)




23/01/20


76/100


Word count: 2500

, 5SSG2047_CW2



Table of Contents:

Interpretive Observation on geographies of beauty in India and the
fetishization of ‘whiteness’ 2
Patriarchy, Power and Positionality: How do these factors obstruct field research into
female safety? 6
Introduction 6
Literature Review 7
Method 8
Data and Discussion 9
Conclusion 11

Reference list 12




1

, 5SSG2047_CW2




Interpretive Observation on geographies of beauty in India and the
fetishization of ‘whiteness’


The most striking part of driving through Indian towns and villages, besides the lush
scenery and offensive driving, has to be extensive billboards. Advertisements
dominate the eye-level views and shed light on the shared aspirations of their
audience. On the first day, I couldn’t place what seemed so juxtapositional about the
adverts, beyond them being jigsawed between palm trees, I then realised that the
models of almost every campaign were nearly white in complexion. This was a huge
contrast to the dark-skinned population of Kerala that these adverts were targeted at,
most notably the wedding dress adverts. I have never before studied the




2