The present paper is an endeavor to explore the changing normative patterns emerging out of men-women relations in an urban society. The study highlights the value preferences made by the population, which is residing in one of the cosmopolitan city of India. Since the city has a large heterogeneous population and is facing rapid transformation in terms of family values and gender relations, the perception towards socio cultural categories such as caste and gender is undergoing change. The study deals particularly with 'gender', and the investigations made in this regard are based on primary data, which involves random sampling and the data collected is through interview schedule method. Exploratory research design has been adopted to find out the emerging normative pattern between men-women relations, which essentially incorporates the value system adopted by the families. As it is perceived, the city life has its own pressures, and the city under investigation is a hub of modern technical jobs, which takes out much of time and energy from the person; therefore it becomes a necessity to have shared responsibility. By convention husband is arbitrary decision maker, but due to immense pressure of job(as jobs are engrossing), both partners being employed and investing equal time in their jobs, influence of peer group, spatial distance from parents, parents being less interferingetc, has diluted the arbitrary powers of males. It is stated that authoritarian structure underwent change in urban household. The inegalitarian and patriarchal household structures are transforming into egalitarian household structure, where women are becoming major decision maker. This study interestingly covers the stress, strains and conflicts encountered by both men and women and simultaneously maintaining the fair balance between traditional value system and modern value system.
Normative change, heterogeneous population, egalitarian household, patriarchal household
