https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5537-9271
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Abstract
The Kashmir conflict over the years has produced a new class of women known as half-widows—wives of disappeared men. Half-widows are differentially affected by conflict due to their relationship with men. This article aims to explore the heterogeneity of the experiences of half-widows. The husband's disappearance not only resulted in their ambiguous marital status but also had a ripple effect on other aspects of life. Therefore, using a socio-ecological approach, this study appropriates Pauline Boss’s Ambiguous Loss Theory to understand and analyze the multifaceted vulnerabilities of half-widows. Based on fieldwork in Kashmir, this study argues that the multifaceted vulnerabilities and everyday challenges form complex emotions and conflicting roles and responsibilities due to the half-widow’s ambiguous marital status. The disappeared husband’s physical absence and psychological presence push the half-widows into a state of flux between the past and present. As a result, half-widows find themselves grappling with socio-economic hardships and psychological distress, exacerbating their unresolved grief and feelings of hopelessness. By highlighting these critical human rights issues, we aim to offer a nuanced perspective on the everyday struggles encountered by half-widows, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of their lived experiences.
Notes
1 Norma Nemeh (2018) used the term “feminization of honour” to explain the societal expectation in which women are primarily responsible for protecting and upholding family or tribe honor through their actions and behaviors.
2 Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) is an organization formed by relatives of victims of the disappeared persons to know about their whereabouts. See https://apdpkashmir.com/.
3 Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) is a federation of human rights organizations and individuals working in Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. See https://jkccs.info/.
4 See Annexure III Participant Informed Consent Form (PICF) https://iitr.ac.in/Departments/Biosciences%20and%20Bioengineering%20Department/static/Miscellaneous/SOPs_with_annexures_to_be_filled_by_PIs.pdf .
5 Traditional gender-role attitudes claim that women are best suited for the family role and define women’s responsibilities mainly based on being a mother and housewife rather than on the basis of occupational roles (Hu et al., Citation2021).
6 Boss (Citation2010) defined “tempering mastery” as to counteract helplessness and regain control over the lives amid ambiguous loss.
7 “Reconstructing identity” means uncovering assumptions about one’s own identity (Boss, Citation2010).
8 Sociological ambivalence denotes how the ambiguous social situation creates ambivalent emotions and behaviors in an individual that in turn affects affecting relations (Boss, Citation2007).
10 The term “rantus” is used for mythical creature means “witch” in Kashmiri folklore (Bhat, Citation2021). Wani (Citation2012, p. 6) held that “in Kashmiri society, Rantus has served as a powerful metaphor for the ‘liberated’ and ‘aggressive women’ who pose danger to the social and moral fabric of the society, hence need to be eliminated.” The Rantus folktale, however, is not consistent and linear. It is extremely rich and varied, existing in numerous forms, with distinct characters and tales in every part of Kashmir. For example, “If a woman accepts and obeys, she is in” order; however, any deviation from these roles makes her a monster, labeled as “Rantus” (Wani, Citation2012, p. 5).
11 Revising attachment means accepting rather than resisting the ambiguity that surrounds a relationship (Boss, Citation2010).
12 Jammu and Kashmir High Court earlier allotted two days, Tuesday and Friday, to hear habeas corpus petitions exclusively. However, now the court reserved only Tuesday of each week to hear habeas corpus petitions.
15 “Finding meaning” means to make sense of what is happening around—that is, dealing with ambiguous loss (Boss, Citation2010)
16 Hope lies in discovering that suffering is more than an assault on our personal comfort. Becoming more spiritual helps (Boss, Citation2010).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Amit Singh
Amit Singh is a Ph.D. scholar (Sociology) at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, India. He completed his M.Phil. from the Department of Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Jammu. The focus of his research is on the intricacies of identity, power dynamics, and socio-cultural narratives that underpin the Kashmir conflict, highlighting the experiences of marginalized communities and the impact of militarization on civilian life.
Anindya J. Mishra
Anindya J. Mishra is a Professor of Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, India. His research interests encompass Social Gerontology, Sociology of Health, and Sociology of Work. With an extensive academic portfolio, Dr. Mishra has authored more than 30 papers in esteemed national and international journals. Moreover, he has made substantial contributions to various anthologies and conferences, further enhancing scholarly discourse in his areas of expertise.