Women's Studies in India: A Reader

676 Pages·2008·132.281 MB·English

by  Mary E. John

WOMEN'S STUDIES IN INDIA
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WOMEN'S STUDIES IN INDIA
A READER
Edited by
MARYE. JOHN
PENGUINB OOKS
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PENGUIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
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Fint published by Penguin Books India 2008
Anthology copyright 0 untn: for Women's Development Studies 2008
Introduction copyright C) Mary F.. John
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CONTENTS
Sourcesa nd CopyrightA clmowkdgnnmts xi
Preface xvii
Introduction 1
Mary E. John
l. New Beginnings
From Accommodation to Articulation: Women's Movement in India 23
Neera Desai
The Making of a Founding Text 27
Vina Mazumdar
Women in Revolt: A Historical Analysis of the
Progressive Organisation of Women in Andhra Pradesh 32
K lalita
Initiatives against Dowry Deaths 42
Madhu /Gshwara nd Ruth Vanita
The BodhgayaS truggle 46
Manima/a
Implications of Declining Sex Ratio in India's Population 52
Asok Mitra
2. Politics
'Socialist-Feminist' Organizations and the Women's Movement 62
Gail Omwdt
The Question of Autonomy 68
Nandita Gandhi aNi Nandita Shah
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The Enabling Process of Empowerment 74
Narayan K &nnjtt
On the Concept of 'Em~werment' 80
ManoranjanM ohanty
Interview with Satyabhama 'Nani' Lawand 85
Sharmi/aJ oshi
The Elusive 'Woman ': Feminism and the Women 's Reservation Bill 91
Nivedita Mmon
The Fourth World Conference on Women: A Repon from China 98
I""" Agnihotri
3. History
Beyond the Altckarian Paradigm: Towards a New Understanding
of Gender Relations in Early Indian History 111
Uma Chaltravarti
Of Begumsa nd Tawaifs: The Women of Awadh 118
Saknn /(jJwai
Positivism and Nationalism : Womanhood and Crisis in
Nationalist Fiction-Bankimchandra 's Anandamad, 124
Jasodhara& gchi
Periyar, Women and an Ethic of Citiz.cnship 132
V. Geaha
Her-Self. Early Writings on Gender by Malayalec Women 137
J Devi/ea
Citizens, Workers and Emblems of Culture :
An Analysis of the First Plan Document on Women 143
MaitrayeeC haudhuri
August Anarchy 149
latu Mmon anJ Kam/a Bhasin
Pramila Tai 157
Strtt Shakti Sanghatana
4. Oevdopment
Women's Work in Indian Census: Beginnings of Change 168
Maithrtyi Krislmaraj
Why do Women Need Independent Righcs in Land? 175
Bina Agarwal
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Contrnts vii
Broader Issues for Discussion:
Women's Devdopment Programme, R.ajasthan 184
Saheli,S abala Sangh,A ction India. Disha, WommS Centre,
FAOW, Awaz--e-Niswan
Women, Kcralaa nd some Development Issues 187
K SaradaTfU)ni
Feminism, Poverty and Globalization 194
Mary E. john
How Real is the Bogeyo f Feminization? 202
Nimuzla Bannjtt
Women in Scruggle:A Case Study of the Chipko Movement 211
K"mud Shamw
Decolonizing the Nonh 217
Vandana Shiva
5. Violence
Rape and the Construction of Communal Identity 228
Kalpana Kannabiran
Politics of Widow Immolation 234
Sudah Vaid
Domestic Violence 241
Ma/avilta Karkltar
The Impossible Subject:
Caste and Desire in the Scene of the Family 249
Sus~ Tharu
Speaking Peace: An Introduction 255
UrvashiB "t1tlia
6. Law
An Open Letter to the Chief Justice of India 267
Upmdra Baxi, Va sudha Dhagamwar,& zgh"nathK e/JtarL, otika Sarkar
Family Courts: From the Frying Pan into the Fire? 272
F'4villA gnes
Human Rights Lawyering: A Feminist. Perspective 278
Nandit1tH a/tsar
Scxcapadcsa nd the Law 285
RAtnaK ap"r
Enforcing Cultural Codes: Gender and Violence in Nonhern India 292
Prnn Chowdhry
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11iii Con1~n1s
The Two-child Norm and Population Policy 297
Mohan &to
7. Education
Women and the Nation: The Trouble with Their Voices 309
Partha Chattnjtt
Strishiluhao r Education for Women 316
Tani/ta Sarltar
Education for Women's Equality:
National Policy on Education, 1986 322
Dtpartmmt of F.aucation
The Story of my Sanskrit 328
K"mud Pawde
Gender Inequality in Primary Schooling in India:
The Human Rights Perspective 336
Karuna Chanana
Creating an Enabling Environment 343
Z,qyaH asan and latu Mmon
Gender and Curriculum 352
Dipta Bhog
8. Health
Backpain, the Feminine Affliction 364
Vema Shatrugna,N irma/a So"ndarajan,P . S"ndaraiah,L eelaR mnan
Contraceptive Research:I s there a Gender-Neutral Approach? 371
Vinttta Bal, Vani Subramaniana nd IAxmi M"rthy, Saht/i
Reproductive Health: A Public Health Perspective 381
lmrana Qadetr
Our Health Our Heritage 387
Shodhini
Our Mind Our Madness 395
BhargaviV . Davar
A Disabled Feminism? 400
Anita Ghai
9. H<>1ueboladn d Family
The Tyranny of the Household 411
Deva/tiJ ain and Nirma/a Bannjtt
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Conttnts ix
F.conomicsa nd Pauiliny: Consumption and Authority
within the Household 414
RAjni Pa/riwala
The Widows of November 1984 424
f llJ'l Srivastava.
Leaming to 'Adjust': Conjugal Relations in Indian Popular Fiction 428
Amit1t Ty agi Singh aNi PatriciaU bm,i
On the Uniform Civil Code: Uniformity vs Equality 435
BrindA Karat
10. Caste and Tribe
Dalit Women: The Downtrodden among the Downtrodden 445
Ruth Manorama
WritingC aste, Writing Gender: Dalit Women's Tcstimonios 452
Shamii/a R.ege
Dalit Women: The Conflict and the Dilemma 458
Annie Namala
Castea nd Women 466
Let/4 Drlbe
Women and Gender in the Study of Tribes in India 475
Vi,giniusX axa
Ethnicity and Gender: Identity Politics among the Khasi 482
Tiplut Nongbri
11. U)DJ.JJl11naliasn01d Religion
The Shah Bano Case 495
RlulhaKumar
Women's Movements in a Secular Framework:
Rtddining the Agendas 501
F'4via Agna
Women's Movement and Religion 508
G"'1ruleD iarich
Politicso f Diversity: Religious Communities and
Multiple Patriarchies 515
KMmltumS angari
Pragmaticso f the Hindu Right: Politics of Women's Organu.ations 523
Ta nilta Sarluzr
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x Conttnts
12. Sexualities
Unravelling the Kamasutra 535
Kum/tum Roy
544
The Devadasi, Dharma and the State
Jana/ti Nair
Sex Workers' Manifesto 552
Durbar Mahi/a SamanwayaC ommittee
Lesbian Emergence 560
Campaignfo r lesbian Rights
The T r~ubled Existence of Sex and Sexuality:
Feminists Engage with Censorship 566
Shohini Ghosh
Querying Marriage and Family 573
Rinchin
13. Literaturea nd Media
Alternative Interpretation of the Ramayana: Views from Below 583
NabaneetaD ev Sm
Binodini Dasi: An Actress in the Drama of
Public Modernity in India 592
Susk Tharu
Life after Rape: Narrative, Rape and Feminism 596
RajeswariS undn- Rajan
T dugu Feminist Poetry 604
Va santh Kannabirana nd Vo~a
Integrating whose Nation? Tourists and Terrorists in Roja 611
Te jaswini Niranjana
The Medium is the Mes.sage 618
Kalpana Sharma
Gender Construction in the News Media 620
Sonia Bath/a
Nous on Contributors 628
Index 639
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