Under what conditions might the acquisition of new skills challenge discriminatory social norms? We interrogate this question through reference to a study on the social impacts of an agricultural skill development scheme in rural India. We present detailed vignettes drawn from this study, which illustrate the social consequences of acquiring and utilizing skills that transgress local gender and caste norms. Engaging with themes from capabilities theory, we highlight how, although not all skills are transgressive, for some, acquiring “transgressive skills” not only enhanced life opportunities for themselves, but also did so for others within their communities. The form of their transgressions and their social consequences varied, however, based on their relative privilege and the operation of place-specific social norms and systems of oppression. We argue that transgressive skills might drive progressive social change, but distinguish between two types of transgression. Individual, brash, heroic transgressions against the status quo are more accessible to the relatively privileged, whereas marginalized people are more likely to engage in nested transgressions, which form part of long-term, collective struggles for empowerment. The latter, although often overlooked, might offer sustainable pathways to progressive change that reflect local aspirations.

在什么情况下获得新技能可能会挑战歧视性的社会规范？我们通过参考一项关于印度农村农业技能发展计划的社会影响的研究来审问这个问题。我们展示了从这项研究中提取的详细小插曲，这些小插曲说明了获得和利用违反当地性别和种姓规范的技能的社会后果。结合能力理论的主题，我们强调尽管并非所有技能都是越界的，但对于一些人来说，获得“越界技能”不仅增加了他们自己的生活机会，而且也为他们社区中的其他人增加了生活机会。然而，根据他们的相对特权和地方特定社会规范和压迫制度的运作，他们违法的形式和社会后果各不相同。我们认为越界技能可能会推动进步的社会变革，但要区分两种类型的越界。相对享有特权的人更容易接受针对现状的个人、鲁莽、英勇的越界行为，而边缘化人群更有可能参与嵌套越界行为，这是长期集体为赋权而斗争的一部分。后者虽然经常被忽视，但可能会为反映当地愿望的渐进式变革提供可持续的途径。这构成了长期的集体赋权斗争的一部分。后者虽然经常被忽视，但可能会为反映当地愿望的渐进式变革提供可持续的途径。这构成了长期的集体赋权斗争的一部分。后者虽然经常被忽视，但可能会为反映当地愿望的渐进式变革提供可持续的途径。