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MSW Paper-18 Women in India Dr. Aliva Mohanty Department of Women Studies Utkal University Directorate of distance &continuing education Utkal University, Vani Vihar Website: www.ddceutkal.org Syllabus Unit .1. Theories of Feminism 1. Meaning and Definition, Characteristics, features and Development. 2. Feminist Thought in Indian Context 3. Liberal Feminism, Marxist Feminism, Radical Feminism and socialist Feminism Unit II . Indian Women and Society-I 1. Women, Family and Social System.: Element’s of social System, Nuclear and Joint Family System, Changing Role & Status of women in Family. 2. Women and work: Work, labour, Gender Division & Job Segregation: Employment and gender issues, Policy and its impact on women: NEP, Globalisation and its impact on women, Women’s and entrepreneurship, Girl Child labour,. Unit III. Women and Society-II 1. Women and Education: Education and Gender Bias, Enrolment and Drop out in sphere of education, recent trend in education, committee and commission on women education( National Committee on Women Education (1958-59), Constitutional provision regarding women education. 2. Women and law: Legal Reforms and Women’s rights, Feminist jurisprudence, Constitutional rights of women,, Right of working women’s and law of inheritance, women and personal law(Hindu, Muslim and Christian personal law), Women and criminal law. Unit IV Women and politics Women and Political Participation in India & Emerging Concern; Political status and rights of women in India, women and political leadership, Achievement of Prominent political leader in Pan Indian context, Women’s right and international conventions. UNIT-I Theories of Feminism Contents 1.1.Meaning and Definition 1.2.Characteristics of Feminism 1.3.Features of Feminism 1.4.Development of Feminism: 1.5.Schools of Feminist thought 1.5.1. Liberal Feminism 1.5.2.Classical Marxist Feminism 1.5.3.Radical Feminism: 1.5.4.Socialist Feminism: Unit -1 Feminism 1.1.Meaning and Definition The term “Feminism” is derived from the Latin word “Femina” originally meaning “having the qualities of female”. The first recorded use of the term in English was in 1894. According to the Oxford English dictionary supplement published in 1933, it was used in reference to the theory of sexual equality and the movement for women’s rights replacing ‘womanism’ in the 1890’s. There is no specific concrete definition of Feminism applicable to all women at all times. The early editions of the Oxford English Dictionary defined Feminism as a state of being feminine or womanly as did the 1901 edition of the Dictionary of Philosophy. The Dictionary of Philosophy by 1906 defined Feminism as a position favourable to the rights of women. The Webster’s Dictionary defines the term ‘Feminism’ as (a) principle that women should have political rights equal to those of men. (b) the movement to win such rights for women. The word ‘Feminism’ however, must be understood in its broadest sense as referring to an intense awareness of identity as a woman, and interest in feminine problems. Feminism originated in the perception that there is something wrong in society’s treatment of women. It is conceived of the oppression of women, attempts to find out the reasons of oppression and analyze means to achieve women’s liberation. Feminism has always existed as long as women have resisted subordination collectively, consciously or half consciously. But it started as a viable / movement only in the last few decades. Its pluralistic nature defines an all inclusive definition. It may be perspective, a world view, a political theory, a spiritual focus or a kind of activation. David Baichier in the book “Feminist challenge, 1983 gives a generalized definition of “Feminism: Feminism as any form of opposition to any form of social, personal or economic discrimination which women suffer because of their sex”. 1.2.Characteristics of Feminism 1. Feminism value women not for the work they could produce, the price they could bring, the services they could render for their behavior to externally imposed set of requirements. It values women in and of themselves and for themselves as individuals and humans. 2. It affirms the capacities of women to be strong capable, intelligent, successful and ethical human beings. 3. It values autonomy of women to develop the conditions that will enable them to centre their political, social, economic and personal destinies. 4. It rejects the practice of separating human qualities into two categories- one set for men and one for women. It recognizes that all characteristics appear in either sex and each of them be evaluated on its own merit. 5. It understands the majority of beliefs and attitudes regarding women are based on myth, ignorance and fear. They are to be replaced with reality in knowledge. 6. It points out that through the centuries, the traditionally ascribed masculine characteristics of aggression, power and competition have been regarded as good and desirable, creating concrete instances of oppression. In the face of denial, women have cultivated precious qualities and like compassion, tenderness and nurturance. 1.3.Features of Feminism 1. Feminism is just as much a social movement as it is a set of intellectual positions. Feminism describes activism and a commitment to action as much as arrangement of ideas. Feminist ideas are those that lead to social progress concerning gender relations at the given time and place. 2. Feminism was not designed but grew out of experiences of certain times, places and factors of social organization. “Correct thinking about the right ideas” would be sufficient to call one as objectivists but is not enough to be a feminist without a commitment to action and social change. One cannot be a feminist even if one holds feminist ideas. So in Feminism there is form of “equal worth” between ideas and activism. Feminism is more than an ideology, more than a philosophy. 3. In last 100 years, the West defined Feminism as fight for women’s right to hold property, to divorce, to vote, to be recognized as adult legal subjects. In western world today it means a fight against tacit and institutionalized collectivist and misogynist beliefs derived from gender roles and other sex- based prejudices. The ‘core Feminism’ or ‘core feminist’ theory does not prescribe or presuppose neither differences between men and women nor similarities between men and women nor does it require excluding men or only furthering the women’s causes. 4. Feminist as a rule, assume that there are few if any inherent, unchangeable differences between men and women; only a lot of individual differences and variation. Patriarchists claim the existence of many universal and immutable difference between men and women, seeking supplies individual differences in an attempt to create two universal gender forms or essence that every body must squeezed in to. 5. Equality must mean equality under the law, but it must also mean philosophical and social equality of men and women in daily life. True liberation and individualism means that all virtues and characteristics are individual human virtues and characteristics, open to anyone who is inclined to pursue and develop them. There are no virtues or psychological characteristics belonging exclusively to males or females. 1.4.Development of Feminism: Development of Feminism is divided in to 3 waves of Feminism. The 1st wave of Feminism dates back to the 19th Century and early part of Twentieth century. That does not mean Feminism or feminist movement did not exist prior to this period. Ancient Feminism: In fact in 6th century B.C. there were women writers in Greece who even ran girl schools. We also had women writers in the 15th century in France and Christine de Pisan from this period and are considered as one of the early feminist thinkers. Women writers played a major role in the Seventeenth century West Indian Slave Rebellion. Women also had a major role in the 18th century in French Revolution. This was the time when women tried to assert themselves in France by propagating that every woman is born free and her rights are same as that of any man. But by the late 18th century strict laws and codes were enforced to subjugate any kind of women’s movement. The Napoleonic code even snatched away the right over funds and finance from women and restored it completely to man. Women were deliberately restricted to their home and household activities. Feminism in America and Africa: If we look at the history of feminist movement and Feminism in North America then we can see some kind of organized activity from the times of “ American war of Independence” in the mid – eighteenth century. Women participated in this struggle along with men and were strongly involved in boycotting the British made goods. Feminists movement got a new turn in America in late eighteenth century when black women understood that in order to live a dignified life it was not only a fight they had to carry out against racism but it was also a struggle against their own men who believed in traditional gender stereotyping and practical social and cultural norms which encouraged bias and discrimination against women. During these times black women organized themselves and carried out their struggle in public platforms like church congregations. The real turning point in black women getting fully involved in the feminist movement came after the incidence when black feminist, Sojourner Truth, stood before the Second Annual Convention of Women’s Rights in Akron Ohio in 1852 and quite outspokenly demanded the right for vote for black American women amongst other things. The Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution also saw a change in the structure of society whereby more women were involved in the industry was work force. This was a trend that was seen not only in Europe but also in North America.

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