This book is a compilation of papers examining women’s role in rural production systems in India. The book is divided into six sections; the first section explores conceptual, theoretical, and methodological issues with respect to understanding women’s work. The second, third, and fourth sections present evidence from primary and secondary data on women’s work in agriculture and nonagricultural activities, and include a discussion of the nature of work among Dalit and Adivasi women. The fifth and sixth sections provide a brief historical perspective of rural women’s employment in the colonial period and analyze women's access to banking.