Browsing by Subject "Gender"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11

Open Access
Comment on the gurkha’s daughter
(University of North Bengal, 2015-03) Chhetri, Kumar
Although the British colonizers, anthropologist and administrators have produced a bulk of ethnographic accounts, travelogues, military accounts, and research papers there is no sufficient English literary work which centers on the life of the Nepalis. The earlier available works were either based on the life of Nepalis in Darjeeling or on the Himalayan kingdom (Nepal), whereas the present work The Gurkha’s Daughter by Prajwal Parajuly is unique in the sense that it engulfs the life of the Nepalis both in Nepal and its Diasporas around the world in eight short stories. Despite being fiction the stories carry the social reality of everyday life experiences of the Nepali people and its Diasporas.
Open Access
A Comparative Analysis of Rabha Society's Socio-Economic Landscape amongst Males and Females: Insights from a Household Survey
(University of North Bengal, 2024) Sarkar, Samar Kumar; Rabha, Ruma
This study addresses a critical gap in existing literature on the Rabha people by conducting a comparative analysis between male and female members. Sixty Rabha households were surveyed ensuring an equal distribution of 30 male and 30 female respondents. The data collection process utilized a survey schedule to gather comprehensive information. The survey covered four forest villages namely MelaBasti and Mangolkata in Salbari 1 gram panchayat, located in Banarhat block, and KhuklungBasti and Gossaihat in Jharaltagram 2, situated in Dhupguri block of Jalpaiguri District. This study explores socio-economic aspects and reveals differences in employment, education, and traditional practices between males and females emphasizing the need for targeted initiatives to improve opportunities for Rabha women. This study highlights a significant disparity in literacy levels, particularly among illiterate individuals aged 40 to 70, where approximately 82% are females. While males slightly outnumber females (53% to 47%) at the below secondary level, this gap widens at the secondary and higher secondary levels, with males constituting 57% compared to females at 43%, indicating a higher literacy status among male respondents. Interestingly, both male and female respondents in the youngest age group (20 to 30 years) are actively pursuing higher studies, suggesting a potential shift towards improved educational opportunities for younger generations. The study highlights the occupational dynamics within the Rabha community, revealing distinct patterns between male and female respondents. Male participants predominantly engage in farming, Government service and businesses, with minimal involvement in fishing activities, indicating potential cultural and societal influences on occupational choices. A significant portion (33%) of female respondents are homemakers, reflecting the community's emphasis on family and community life. Keywords:
Open Access
Equality in difference: an analysis with reference to ‘motherhood’
(University of North Bengal, 2024-03) Datta (Majumdar), Kasturi
Gender discrimination is one of the important topics of Practical Ethics. Any kind of discrimination hinders the growth of society. All human beings deserve equal rights and opportunities irrespective of race, caste, religion, sex. Biological differences of individuals could never be taken as criteria of gender discrimination. Motherhood is considered as glorified aspect of women’s life, but this is a patriarchal ploy to keep women in a cage. Now this is the time when we should re-think our traditional theories in order to assure equality to women.
Open Access
Exploring the Socio-Legal Dimensions of Godmen Phenomena in India: A Gendered Analysis
(University of North Bengal, 2023-09) Dubey, Rajeev; Mishra, Praveen
research paper delves into the complex and multifaceted phenomenon of Godmen in India and examines it through a gender lens. Godmen, also known as spiritual leaders or gurus, wield significant influence over their followers, often with implications for gender dynamics in society. This study aims to shed light on the socio-legal aspects of this phenomenon from a gender perspective, analyzing the role of these new religious formations in reinforcing or challenging gender norms and the legal challenges and implications of their actions. It also looks through the obligation of the state in contemporary times to provide safeguard to its citizens from the debilitating effects of these new religious movements.
Open Access
Gender justice and sustainable relationships: an examination
(Reflections Printers and Publishers, 2021) Bhattacharyya, Anureema; Talib, Javaid; Khan, Zafar Ahmad
Gender justice in the conventional way is opposed to gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is a major cause of concern for any feminist or social activist, Different gender roles are ascribed to people by way of this discrimination. Men are given specific roles by virtue of their capacity which women are considered not to have. Women are allotted roles as part of their obligations for the family, society, their living or their very existence, which ,as if ,are not applicable to men. The most crucial relationship which is responsible for the dynamism in a society and hence its progression is that of a male-female partnership in a family. The very term 'partner' indicates an attitude of mutual love, respect, understanding. Now, the situation in a family is where men and women partners are differently occupied in household chores as they are expected to be. But the conflict arises here. Both have complaints of being discriminated. They feel pressurised, stressed. Hence, the small issues rise to larger scales which finally disturb the relationship to any extent as handled Even for those who manage to ignore or suppress matters, the allegations do not vanish but are rather consciously taken care of with individual level of emotional maturity. My point is that the tension remains — whether dormant or active,. In this context, I like to refer to the book 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' by John Gray, a relation to his success in holding a dignified relation with others. partnership relations are to a great extent successful with the implementation of differential treatment towards the other. By differential treatment, I refer to 'treating differently' as discussed by John Gray. What I want to focus at this crucial juncture of understanding is that 'giving differential treatment' or 'treating differently' is not necessarily 'treating unequally', hence is not necessarily 'unjustified'. If the basic purpose behind Gender Justice or say any other form of Justice for humans is to confirm mutual respect and dignity, then such dignity can surely be guaranteed by treating each other differently if that helps in understanding one another better, if that helps in sustaining a relationship meaningfully. Therefore equal treatment as demanded by Gender Justice is not to be taken literally. Having comprehended the inner import of the term, we may interpret it in the context of partnership relations by saying that every partner in a relation deserves to be treated differently by the other in relation to his/her own, and thereby given equal treatment. Hence Justice towards Gender in a partnership relation is headed towards Justice towards the relationship in which both the genders are involved. If for the purpose of healthy partnership, genderisation or essentialisation is needed in treatment, it is not opposed to justice in any way. Attitude is important. Interpretations are important. "Love is magical, and it can last, if we remember our differences..”
Open Access
Gender Roles and the Quest for Identity: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence
(University of North Bengal, 2021) Akram, Wasim
Women in all ages remain the object of suppression. They often neither have any voice nor an independent identity of their own. Men become the deciding factor about how a woman should behave and act. They have always been taught to be docile, submissive, and conventional to be accepted by the society. They are made to behave in a certain stereotypical way to maintain the male supremacy. They are given a position inferior to men in a hierarchical social structure, controlled and dominated by men and they merely serve as objects of this control and rule. The whole purpose of their existence revolves around serving in the family as someone’s daughter, wife, sister or mother. These stereotypical gender roles assigned to them by the society keep them confined within the four walls of familial entanglement where they do not have any voice or agency. Shashi Deshpande in her novel, That Long Silence captures this traumatized and painful existence of women in a middle-class Indian family. The novelist portrays the ever-suffering existence and the quest for independent identity of women through the presentation of the character of Jaya who has to maintain silence throughout her married life for the fear of disrupting familial comfort and security. I, in my paper, will attempt to address this crisis raised by the author and also show how the society creates a boundary for women to delimit their capabilities and stifle their voice and agency in a constrictive social structure that does not allow women to speak.
Open Access
Ignored Voices: An Overview of the life of the Women with Disabilities in India.
(University of North Bengal, 2022-12) Das, Tinku
It has been held from ancient times that men and women are not equal. Some socially prescribed identities have been forced onto both genders. Based on people's biological or physiological differences, performances, competence, retention, and other capacities, society has developed some negative conceptions and established some binaries such as normal/abnormal, able/disabled, fit/unfit, etc. In order to oppress women, patriarchal society has created separate standards for men and women. It views women as weak human beings who serve as spouses, mothers, nurses, and sisters. In a culture that is governed by men, women lack freedom and safety. Men have always held a higher standing than women and are still are viewed as more significant than women. There have been different waves of feminism with their own charter of demands regarding women’s rights but there was no particular demand for women with disabilities. It seems that women with disabilities have no purpose in this world and are considered as useless in the society. Even at the very onset the women who struggled for their rights and identities did not raise their voices for women with disabilities. Harlan Hahn, a disability activist and political scientist has observed that disabled women often encounter “asexual objectification”. Though the world of words masculine and feminine are categorized but women with disability have no category and have been deprived and treated as untouchables. The paper discusses this lack of voice in favour of women with disabilities that pushes them towards more uneasy world.
Open Access
Judicial Opinion on Whether Personal Law is a “Law” under Article 13 of the Constitution of India
(University of North Bengal, 2023-09) Kejriwal, Shruti
India is a land of religious pluralism. Every religion has its own set of customs and rituals. Personal law may apply to either a group or an individual. It is applied based on the faith or the religion, which an individual chooses to practice and profess. In India, there have been migrations and invasions by varied foreign rulers, which have led to multiple set of personal laws. Some practices of these religions are discriminatory on the ground of gender. Contemporary India witnesses the upsurge of feminist legal responses on the concerns of gender inequality in religious laws. Beginning from the Constituent Assembly Debates to the formation of the Constitution of India and then the unclear varying judicial pronouncements in relation to the personal laws by the Indian judiciary have made the topic of personal laws dynamic. In this context, it is imperative to understand the concept of personal laws as it prevails today. This article looks into the location of personal laws within the structure of Article 13 of the Constitution of India.
Open Access
Menace of Female Foeticide in India: Current Scenario and Socio- Legal Implications
(University of North Bengal, 2021-03) Singh, Subodh K.
The advent of modern reproductive and sex selection techniques is providing worldwide ample opportunity to the female foeticide. Now –a –days the world population is significantly passing through gender imbalances due to different available sex selection methods. The menace of Female foeticide was invented, touted and sold by the medical profession, and it operates with the complete consent of our society. In the United States, sex selection is becoming a multimillion-dollar industry. During the last few decades, Indian society had also been facing female foeticide as a burning social problem. In strongly patriarchal society Parents prefer sons and availability of these techniques, has led to deterioration of female sex-ratio and is eliminating girls from the social scenario by misusing the technique which is basically meant to detect the foetal abnormalities. Even the law is a powerful instrument of social change but law alone cannot dismantle out this social problem from Indian society. The real challenge before Indian society and government authorities is to remove loopholes in The Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Act, 2002. It is pertinent to note that until and unless this menace is controlled, the country will be heading for a grave gender imbalance, which in turn would adversely affect the nation’s economic progress. A concrete and meticulous effort by the medical fraternity, the law, political leaders, NGOs, women’s group, the mass media, teachers and the community itself is the need of the hour. This review article is an attempt to draw attention towards Current Scenario of female foeticide in India and its socio-legal implications.
Open Access
Symbols of Heterosexual Marriage and Negotiations of Heteronormativity: Narratives of Three Generations of Urban Middle-Class Bengali Women Living in Kolkata
(University of North Bengal, 2019-03) Das, Nabamita
Through interview-generated narratives of women of three generations of urban middle-class Bengalis living in Kolkata and other auto-ethnographic narrative texts; this paper seeks to examine gender, generation and class specific meanings of intimate heterosexual identities and relations. It focuses on the ways in which subjects negotiate, that is, confirm and interrogate, uphold and challenge, submit and rebel institutionalized heterosexuality or heteronormativity through the practice of bearing, not bearing and negotiating with symbols of marriage. Subjects’ ongoing negotiations that tell stories of multiple and contradictory subjectivities, are analyzed to show how personal narratives of intimacy vary across a range of conflicting and competing colonialist, nationalist and trans-nationalist discourses of heterosexuality and cultural mandates of femininity. The paper: • demonstrates that expressions of heterosexual love are socially ordered, culturally learnt and linguistically mediated • examines the power and vulnerability of doing gender and doing class through doing intimacy • brings out the cultural politics of gendering that mediated the colonial history of Bengal • shows how this politics of gendering still reigns strong within a contemporary, urban middleclass Bengali society. This is particularly evident in its women’s narratives of respectable middle-class femininity, who have now come to embody a “modern” Bengal, without, however, failing to bear the cultural “authenticity” of her nation, community, and family • critiques the “individualization thesis” of reflexive modernization by demonstrating that practices of heterosexual love overlap with gender and class-cultural practices and are strongly embedded within family relations, both real and imagined, and • interrogates a colonial-modernist concept of unilinear progress by illustrating, through generational narratives of heterosexual intimacy, the shifting meanings and mutual co-constitution of the putative dichotomous categories of “tradition” and “modern”, “East” and “West”.
Open Access
Thinking Beyond Gender: Tagore’s Chitrangada, the Breaking of the Stereotypes
(University of North Bengal, 2020-12) Saha, Manika