WHEN the LAND Changes: (SOUTHERN) Agrarian Masculinities and SENSE of PLACE amid Environmental Change

It has been well documented that climate change induced (or anthropogenic) environmental degradation negatively transforms the natural landscape, sometimes permanently. In post-Green Revolution North India, chemical intensive monoculture remains the norm which is no longer sustainable and pollutes the land and water leading to a degradation of both as well as other aspects of the natural environment. Land transformation due to climate change related extreme weather events, such as floods and heat waves, is also on the rise. Rural populations, especially farmers, are the worst affected by these changes. While changes in sense of place and associated mental/physical wellbeing has been given attention to in the West/Global North, it is still an understudied topic in the Global South where arguably peoples are more negatively affected. This paper is an attempt to start filling the considerable schism in research by taking into account the geographical location of an agrarian state in North India, called Punjab. At the same time, I also highlight the lack of ‘Southern’ oriented theoretical/conceptual frameworks for effectively understanding the relationship between natural environment and gender (relations). The data analyzed in this paper is taken from nineteen in-depth interviews with farmers of Punjab about how they perceive land/water changes. I also explore the changes in notions/performances of masculinities and gender relations (if any) that are brought about by environmental degradation. The findings suggest that as the land changes, so too do the cultural and gendered identities tied to it, leading to both resilience and vulnerability among farmers.