Page 64 - Peoples_Journal_Sri_Lanka

54
ISSN 3121-3049
People's Journal Sri Lanka Volume 01, Issue 01

Thematic Analysis was used to analyze the data collected. This method
allows us to identify, categorize, and understand similar themes, patterns, and
interpretations across social and political contexts. Thematic analysis
provides a deeper understanding of women‘s voting behavior and helps us to
analyze the main research questions in detail.

Results & Discussions

This study examined the voting behavior of women in the Estate community
through a thematic analysis of qualitative data. The analysis identified eight
dominant themes that illustrate the multifaceted interplay of social, cultural,
political, and economic determinants shaping women‘s electoral
participation. These themes highlight how structural constraints, intersecting
identities, and contextual dynamics collectively influence the nature and
extent of women‘s engagement in the democratic process.

01. Family & Household influence in voting

The findings show that women's voting behavior in estate communities is
significantly influenced by male household members and larger family
dynamics. Instead of using their own political judgment, women in the
majority of homes reported voting in accordance with their husbands' or
sometimes their older sons' preferences. This practice is a reflection of long-
standing patriarchal traditions in estate families, where women's electoral
participation is presented as secondary and political decision-making is
considered the domain of men.
A significant number of women acknowledged that they felt no need to
critically assess political candidates or party agendas because a male
household authority had already decided how they would vote. Voting was
viewed by these women as a family obligation rather than a personal
privilege. The normalization of male dominance in political decision-making
reproduces and strengthens larger gender disparities. Women‘s exclusion
from intra-household political discussions is sustained by the different belief
that they are less knowledgeable or competent in political matters.
Consequently, estate women engage in the electoral process legally but
possess limited influence over its outcomes. These results are consistent with
previous research showing how patriarchal family systems limit women's