Household Storage Practices and its Significance in Social Construction of Domestic Sphere

Abstract

This research was conducted on the topic: "Household Storage Practices and its Significance in the Social Construction of Domestic Sphere". The nature of this study is comparative and descriptive which deals with a rural-urban comparison. The research question is about the household storage spaces and practices that are significant in the social construction of the domestic sphere. Objectives followed by the research are: the exploration of storage spaces, understanding of storage practices, and analyzing how they socially construct the domestic sphere. The selected sampling techniques were purposive and snowball sampling to support qualitative research methodology. Ethnographic and Comparative analysis was drawn with the help of participant observation and in-depth interviews. The data was analyzed by thematic analysis with comparisons being made under each theme. The major findings are that in the rural area the nature of storage spaces is collectivisticr and in urban areas it is individualistic. In both areas, people tend to create some unconventional spaces for their needs. In terms of storage practices, there are some similarities and some variations. Through these storage practices, people convey gratitude, sharing, and mutual knowledge. In both areas, people embody the stored objects with meanings, memory, and gender hierarchies. While talking about the influence on the domestic sphere, there are three main factors: structural changes, diffusion of western architecture, and urbanization have played an important part. The inclusion of westernstyle houses was not able to tackle the needs of residents and in this way, a state of confusion emerge which we call cultural lag. To counter this, we need to understand how communities formulate the vernacular prototype of storage spaces by their own activity patterns, customs, and traditions.