Creating and Recreating Space: The Sociology of Floods and Gender Relations During Liminal Periods

• In Event: 30410 - Environmental Inequalities

Abstract

Abstract:

This paper examines how recurring floods in rural Bangladesh create a liminal crisis period that expands women’s negotiating space and transforms traditional gender roles. Drawing on extensive empirical data from Dewanpara and Dakshin Char Pachuria—including a household census of 465 households, 50 in-depth interviews, oral narratives, and participant observation—the study reveals that floods disrupt conventional livelihood practices and social norms. During these crisis periods, women assumed roles traditionally reserved for men, thereby enhancing their public visibility and bargaining power. While floods impose severe hardships, they simultaneously offer a window for re-negotiating household responsibilities and fostering socio-economic change. The findings contribute to theoretical debates on liminality and intra-household bargaining, demonstrating that natural disasters can serve as catalysts for progressive gender transformation. The study also highlights policy implications, suggesting that targeted support during flood crises can sustain and build on these temporary gains, ultimately promoting gender equity in disaster-prone communities.

Key Words: Floods, liminality, crisis period, gender transformation, women's negotiating space, rural Bangladesh, livelihood, intra-household bargaining, disaster management, socio-economic change

Author

• Fhamida Mohasin, Farmingdale State College