South Asian Women's Communication Styles & Relationship Development: Gaps in Literature

Asian culture is diverse and varied. Hussain (2005) writes that South Asia’ refers to an ‘imagined community’ that consolidates people who trace their roots to the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka). South Asian values include a strong family orientation, collectivism, respect for the elderly, and adherence to tradition. One key feature of South Asian Culture is patriarchy, which plays a significant role in shaping the identity and roles of women in this society. South Asian women demonstrate the complex relationship between cultural assumptions, gender roles, and communication. This review paper aims to identify gaps in the literature focusing on the role of women in South Asian society, the features of South Asian Culture, how gender roles shape women's identities, and how women navigate their identities and relationship development in a patriarchal society. The paper helps to develop a deeper understanding of cultural diversity and discourse on gender and communication studies. This literature review will uncover unique cultural influences on the identity and communication style of South Asian Women. The review synthesises the findings from selected research studies to underline the development of identity growth and communication trends, challenges, and opportunities within different South Asian contexts. The literature review aims to identify gaps in the existing literature and provide insights into the future scope of research.