Problems for a contemporary theory of gender
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Social Scientist
Publication Date
3-1-1994
Volume
22
Issue
3/4
First Page
93
Last Page
117
Publisher
Indian School of Social Sciences
Abstract
Suddenly 'women' are everywhere. Development experts name 'gender bias as the cause of poverty in the third world'; population planners declare their commitment to the empowerment of Indian women; economists speak of the feminisation of the Indian labour force. Over 1991-92, for instance, upper-caste women thronged the streets in the anti-Mandal protests; the BJP identified women and dalits as the principal targets of their next election campaign; women shot into prominence as leaders in the Ramjanmabhoomi movement. The People's War Group of the CPI-ML found themselves drawn increasingly into popular women's campaigns against sexual and domestic violence, dowry and the sale of arrack. Film after film features the new woman as active, critical, angry-she also figures prominently in Doordarshan programmes. In overwhelming numbers, women have joined the literacy campaigns in Pondicherry and parts of Andhra Pradesh. And now we have the anti-arrack movement that threatens to destabilise the entire economy of the state.
DOI
10.2307/3517624
Print ISSN
09700293
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 1994 Social Scientist
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Additional Information
This article also published in S. Amin & D. Chakrabarty (Eds.) (1996), Subaltern studies IX: Writings on South Asian history and society (pp. 223-260). New Dehli: Oxford University Press.
This article also published in N. Menon (Ed.) (1999), Gender and politics in India (pp. 494-526). New Dehli: Oxford University Press.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Tharu, S., & Niranjana, T. (1994). Problems for a contemporary theory of gender. Social Scientist, 22(3/4), 93-117. doi: 10.2307/3517624