Global Currents and Local Realities: Impact on the Socio-Economic Empowerment of Dalit Women in India

Abstract

This research explores the sociological impact of globalization on Dalit women in Tumkur District, Karnataka, focusing on how economic, cultural, and institutional transformations have shaped their lives. Globalization, while offering new employment and educational opportunities, has also deepened caste-based disparities, especially for women from Scheduled Castes (SCs). According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment (2022), only 9% of SC women in rural Karnataka are employed in the formal sector, while over 47% remain engaged in agriculture and informal labor. The literacy rate among SC women in Tumkur stands at 62.3%, lower than both the district average and the national female average (70.3%). Although globalization has encouraged economic liberalization and access to digital platforms, Dalit women continue to face exclusion due to entrenched caste and gender hierarchies. Based on qualitative fieldwork with 20 Dalit women from five rural and semi-urban locations in Tumkur, this study identifies patterns of labor exploitation, educational alienation, and socio-political marginalization. Using both primary interviews and secondary data from government and academic sources, the research underscores the need for intersectional policies that address the unique vulnerabilities of Dalit women in a globalized context.