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    Caste and Gender in Contemporary India

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    anjalikumari41738
    Uma Chakravarti book's review - Gendering caste.

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    Caste and Gender in Contemporary India

    Uploaded by

    anjalikumari41738
    3 views2 pages
    Uma Chakravarti book's review - Gendering caste.

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    Caste and gender in contemporary India

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    Uma Chakravarti book's review - Gendering caste.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    3 views2 pages

    Caste and Gender in Contemporary India

    Uploaded by

    anjalikumari41738
    Uma Chakravarti book's review - Gendering caste.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Caste and Gender in Contemporary India

    Uma Chakravarti Highlights that caste continues to be an oppressive force in India, and it
    overlaps with gender to create a complex structure of domination that disproportionately
    affects women, particularly Dalit women.

    The dalit view of post-independence Indian society had led to a major confrontation
    between Gandhi and Ambedkar. Gandhi’s focus was on temple entry for Dalits, a
    symbolic gesture meant to reduce caste-based exclusion. In contrast, Ambedkar viewed
    caste as a systematic issue manifesting in daily life through access to essential resources
    like water.

    When the Constitution was framed, ‘untouchability’ was abolished; but Constitution
    makers were working with the idea that caste cannot be abolished, so the practice of caste
    was sought to be confined to private realm, without any real success. In actual practice
    caste and caste discrimination including the practice of untouchability continues even in
    public spaces as the existence of what is called the ‘two glass system’.

    The Black Panther movement of the U.S. influenced the Dalit politics in the 1970s,
    especially the Dalit Panther movement in Maharashtra.

    The Dalit Panthers highlighted caste-based injustices, leading the academic community to
    recognize caste as a pressing social issue.

    The chapter addresses the triple oppression faced by Dalit women: caste-based,
    class-based, and patriarchal subjugation. The formation of the Dalit Women’s
    Federation marks a pivotal moment where Dalit women began to articulate their unique
    experiences of oppression and pushed for a more inclusive feminist discourse.

    Women have internalized societal expectations, like stridharma (duties of women), which
    perpetuate caste and gender hierarchies. Their agency is acknowledged, but framed
    within the constraints of caste and patriarchal expectations. This complicity is not passive
    but is shaped by socio-economic realities.

    The practice of endogamy (marrying within one’s caste) is emphasized as a critical


    means of maintaining caste purity. This practice continues to be a pillar of social
    reproduction, affecting women's autonomy.

    The pressures of arranged marriages and the threat of excommunication are powerful
    tools to enforce endogamous unions, ensuring caste boundaries remain intact
    Dalit women experience oppression not only from upper castes but also within their
    community and families. Their exploitation spans caste-based, class-based, and
    patriarchal lines. There is a need to incorporate these intersectional struggles into broader
    feminist and social justice movements.

    The term "Brahmanical patriarchy" has been adopted by feminist scholars to critique how
    patriarchal norms serve caste interests and vice versa. Dalit feminists have critiqued
    mainstream feminism for overlooking caste issues. The need for a more inclusive
    approach that addresses caste and gender oppression simultaneously is emphasized.

    The women's movement is urged to re-examine its priorities and embrace intersectional
    strategies to address these deep-rooted inequalities.

    Post-Mandal agitation, there has been a greater focus on understanding and articulating
    the links between caste and gender. Efforts to redefine feminist discourse to include
    caste-related struggles are described, showcasing the evolution of feminist thought in
    India.

    Uma Chakravarti highlights the deep-rooted connections between caste and gender
    in India, emphasizing the need for a multidimensional approach to social reform.

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