A lecture by Krishna Menon (Ambedkar University, Delhi), organised and hosted by the School of Social and Political Science of the University of Edinburgh
This lecture focus on feminist politics in South Asia. The nation-state has been a very important and transformative player in the politics here. And yet, nationalist ideologies sometimes inhibit the possibilities of feminists working across national boundaries. The intractable linkage between nationalism, state and gender in this region is easily one of the most vital themes of feminist inquiry.
South Asia has, on the one hand, produced important women politicians and heads of states, while also being witness to some very brutal and harsh attacks on women based on caste, ethnicity, language and religion. Resistance to such assault and attack by women is slowly but surely changing the way women see themselves, no longer as hapless victims but as agents of change and empowerment. Further, the increasing role of religion in political mobilizations in South Asia cannot be ignored.
A simple binary of religion versus secular seems to be unproductive in unravelling the complexity of the issues on hand. The differing impact of globalization and changes in the economy has created new opportunities and challenges to feminist politics in South Asia. These changes have also resulted in new ways of mobilizing and organizing feminist solidarities.
The current context is characterized by globalization, patriarchy and militarism. The ‘war on terror’ has led to governments and international bodies working in tandem, even at the cost of limiting and violating democratic traditions and conventions. This constitutes one of the most serious challenges to the building of South Asian feminist politics and at the same time makes it necessary to create feminist networks across borders. Violence, especially political violence against dissenting citizens and against women continues to be a matter of grave concern that requires South Asian feminist politics to attend to.