Performances of emergent masculinities amongst rickshaw drivers in Nepal

• This paper uniquely analyzes the impacts of automation on rickshaw drivers in far west Nepal. • It uses theories of masculinity to analyze experiences of being a rickshaw puller and driver. • The paper explores the impacts of automation for the gendered assumptions and expectations of rickshaw driving. • Automation has meant that women are entering this occupation for the first time. This paper provides insights into emergent masculinities amongst a group of cycle and auto rickshaw drivers in Dhangadhi, far-west Nepal. The main focus of this paper is to explore various Janajati (Indigenous) masculinities as they are changing as a consequence of both moving to a city to work as rickshaw drivers along with automation within the rickshaw occupation. Cycle rickshaw driving had profound implications both for the bodies and masculinities, with tensions emerging between the performances of masculinity expected and encouraged within rickshaw driving and the bodies of the men who are rickshaw drivers. These associations are being reconfigured through the introduction of automated rickshaws, something that is a unique focus of this paper. The process of automation also disrupted the occupation of rickshaw driving being a largely male occupation. Ultimately, this paper explores the implications of automation for gendered associations within certain occupations.