The general idea that “politics is for males and the private for females” applies to Santal society as well. The political space in Santal traditional society is male-dominated with little room for women’s issues and interests. This paper explores the different layers of male hegemony in the structure and functioning of traditional village institutions. It also assesses the changing role of these institutions in recent times when the Santal socio-economic space is getting more integrated with the mainstream. As Santal community life gradually disintegrates, there is an erosion of faith in, and the strength of, Santal traditional institutions. The already vulnerable Santal woman, living under the shadow of patriarchal customary laws, emerges as the most disadvantaged in these times.
