Send message to Authors

Paper short abstract

This paper examines how women’s collective action through Self-Help Groups in a semi-arid Indian village reshapes power relations and gender norms. Using social network analysis, it shows how cohesion strengthens women’s agency, leadership, and collective voice for inclusive rural futures.

Paper long abstract

Understanding how formal and informal networks shape social capital is critical for analysing gendered pathways of empowerment, technology adoption, and access to resources in rural agrarian contexts. This paper examines women’s collective action through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Aurepalle village, using social network analysis to explore how grassroots institutions enable agency, solidarity, and inclusive development outcomes. Framed within debates on gender collective action and climate justice, the study situates SHGs as relational spaces through which women negotiate power, mobilise assets, and articulate alternative visions of progress.

The findings show that SHGs function not only as economic platforms but also as social and political institutions that strengthen women’s participation in decision-making across household, community, and institutional domains. When organised in a truly participatory manner and supported through enabling partnerships, SHGs help women shift from marginalised positions towards active roles as change agents and participating citizens. Mapping the network architecture of men and women farmers reveals how collective action reshapes flows of information, resources, and influence, while also identifying socially disconnected individuals and households requiring targeted inclusion strategies. The analysis further demonstrates that network structures play a crucial role in the diffusion of innovations and social learning processes, highlighting the importance of collective platforms for technology uptake and rural development interventions.