Abstract

GUERIN, Isabelle; ROESCH, Marc; VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, Govindan  and  KUMAR, Santosh. Multiple and Conflicting Meanings of Households' Over-Indebtedness: A Study Case of Poor Rural South Indian Households in Tamil Nadu. Desacatos [online]. 2014, n.44, pp.35-50. ISSN 2448-5144.

Based on a study case in rural South-India, this paper argues that over-indebtedness as a definition cannot be restricted to processes of material impoverishment, but the consequences of debt for social status also matters: borrowers value and rank debts according to losses and gains of self-respect and dignity. The social meaning of debt depends upon pre-existing relationships between debtors and creditors, and debt in turn strengthens, preserves and sometime challenges pre-existing positions within local hierarchies.

Keywords : debt; over-indebtedness; power; identity; India.