Conducting Interviews and Focus Groups with Women in India: Lessons from the Field

• In Event: Asia and Asian American Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 6: Asia and Asian America Section Roundtable - Gender

Abstract

With little to no guidance on which tools to use and on the process for community participation in mapping, especially with vulnerable populations such as women and the elderly, research on engagement has relied on limited takeaways. The literature discusses socio-cultural norms restricting women's participation and unequal access to digital literacy among poorer populations. The literature also discusses important limitations of using digital mapping among older adults, such as the need for participants to be tech-savvy and have perfect recall of their activity patterns, and the. Based on my place-based health behaviors research in high-, middle-, and low-income neighborhoods in Delhi, India, this reflection reviews the factors and tools for successful narrative-based and mapping-based participation with adult and older adult women. The paper also suggests strategies to thoroughly consider facilitating social norms and confidentiality, addressing the digital divide and cartographic literacy, and mitigating recall decline among older adults. These strategies can also be broadly applied to participatory planning in the urban planning profession and practice, as well as in research settings in developing countries.

Author

• Saisha Mattoo, University of Southern California