Women, Politics & The State in India

Paper Code: 
WMS 401
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This paper attempts to acquaint students with the position of Indian women in political sphere both as voters and as contestants, along with how the State Policies perceive women. This makes them aware of the rights and duties as stakeholders in the political sphere and equips them to become equal partners in the public domain.

9.00
Unit I: 
Fundamental Rights for women

Fundamental Rights for women as per the Constitution of India

9.00
Unit II: 
Women in Elections

Women in Elections as voters, as contestants: Elections of 1952

9.00
Unit III: 
Women in political decision making

Women in political decision making – Dilemmas and Contributions

 

 

9.00
Unit IV: 
Introducing Transition from tribe to state

Introducing Transition from tribe to state, impact on women’s status with reference to migration and rehabilitation (Case Study of Chipko Movement)

 

 

9.00
Unit V: 
Perception of Women by the Indian State

Perception of Women by the Indian State – Women’s Reservation Bill

Essential Readings: 

Unit I

  1. Fundamental Rights (Related to women) in Subhash Kashyap, Our Constitution, An Introduction To India’s Constitution, 2014

Unit II

  1. Election Commition of India – website eci.nic.in/eci_main1/ElectionStatistics.aspx

Unit III

  1. p.105, pp.139-142 Mazumdar, Vina, Memories of a Rolling Stone, Zubaan, New Delhi, 2010
  2. pp 27-32 WSI 2008

Unit IV

  1. pp 475-491Virginius Xara, ‘Women and Gender in the Study of Tribes in India’, and TiplutNongbri, ‘Ethnicity and Gender: Identity Among the Khasis’ in Mary E John ed. Women’s Studies in India, A Reader, Penguin Books, 2008,
  2. pp 211-217 Sharma, Kumud, Women in Struggle: A Case Study of the Chipko Movement in WSI, 2008

Unit V

  1. pp 91-97, Articles on Women’s Reservation Bill in WSI 2008
  2. Women’s Reservation Bill passed in Rajya Sabha 2010
References: 
  1. Sinha, Niroj, Empowerment of Women Through Political Participation, Kalpaz Publications, Delhi, 2007
  2. Das, Veena, ed. Handbook of Indian Sociology, OUP, New Delhi 2004
  3. S. P. Sathe, Towards Gender Justice, RCWS, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, 1996
  4. Banerjee, Somya, National Policy for Women, Arise Publishers & Distributers, New Delhi, 2009
  5. Kabeer, N., Reversed Realities, London: Verso, 1995.
  6. Hasan, Zoya (ed.) Forging Identities: Gender Communities and State, Kali for Women, New Delhi, 1994
  7. Kumar, Radha. The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women’s Rights and Feminism in India, 1800-1990, Kali for Women, New Delhi, 1993
  8. Janaki Nair, Law in Colonial India, Delhi, Kali for Women, 1996
  9. Lucy Caroll, The Law, Custom and Statutory Social Reform: The Hindu ‘Widow’s Remarriage Act of 1856’ in J Krishnamurti ed. Women in Colonial India, Delhi OUP, 1989.
  10. Agarwal, Bina, Field of her Own, Kali for Women, New Delhi
  11. JC Johri, Principals of Modern Political Science, Sterling Publisher, 1995
  12. Kapur, Ratna (ed.), Feminist Terrains in Legal Terrains, Kali for Women, Delhi 1996
  13. Butalia U, Sarkar, T (ed.), Women and the Hindu Right, Kali for Women, New Delhi 1996.
Academic Session: 
2018-19
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