Call for papers for National Seminar@WSDC, Delhi University
- Women's Studies and Development Centre (WSDC) -
- Last Date :: 15th November 2010

Dear all,

Women's Studies and Development Centre (WSDC) is organising a National Seminar
on
"In the Name of Honour: A Dialogue on Androcentric matrimonial Practices and Women's Subjugation in India"
from 16th to 18th February 2011.

The concept note of the theme of the seminar is attached here for your kind perusal.

Last date of submission of abstract: 15th November 2010
Date of announcement of selected papers: 10th December 2010
Last date of submission of full paper: 17th January 2011

Looking forward to your active participation.

Thanking you.

Regards,
Otojit Kshetrimayum
Senior Fellow
Women's Studies & Development Centre
Academic Research Centre
University of Delhi
Delhi-110007

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Concept Paper:

National Seminar
on
"IN THE NAME OF HONOUR: A DIALOGUE ON ANDROCENTRIC MATRIMONIAL PRACTICES AND WOMEN'S SUBJUGATION IN INDIA"

Dates: 16 February-18th February 2011.
Venue: Women's Studies & Development Centre, University of Delhi, Delhi.

Introduction

Even after six decades of democracy, women's movements in India face enormous challenge from competing fundamentalist groups and institutions that are opposed to women's autonomy over their sexuality, body and life. Today, many women in India are at the receiving end of socio-cultural distortions that work to the detriment of their interests, in particular, the right to exercise freedom of choice. The many rights which have been granted to women by the Constitution of India since Independence such as the right to marry a person of one's individual choice, right to claim property and right to inheritance have not necessarily liberated women from their state of passivity even though the granting of such rights may function to the real advantage of women is implemented seriously. This is partly due to the problem that the government often acts as a "legitimate" patriarchal authority, and addresses women's issues primarily to accomplish nationalist goals and agendas without probing into the heart of the matter of women's oppression. Additionally, many women remain unaware of the emancipatory nature of exerting autonomy over their lives because of long-standing cultural and ideological internalization of patriarchal norms. Consequently, many women refuse to be party to innovative practices initiated in their favor and thereby help in perpetuating gender inequality.

Normative social assumptions even today understand women mostly in terms of domesticity and reproduction and therefore reinforce women's traditional powerlessness. Family pressures also often cause enormous disadvantage to women. Many women are married off early in life to men chosen by their parents, often against their will. They do not have the liberty to get higher education or choose a career of their choice, and the liberty to decide whom and when to marry remains inaccessible to them. The recent spurt of violence committed against young couples who undergo inter-caste, same "gotra", or inter-religious marriages reveal that medieval thinking and retrograde practices are still very much present in the Indian society. Caste identity in many parts of India still trigger undemocratic divisions between citizens, and gendered crimes such as "honour killings" have come to dissolve women's right to choice and also challenged the women's movement in India. Violence against women such as murders carried out in the dubious name of "honour" have come to reveal that their individual identities or subjecthood have been superseded by patriarchal authority and aggression. Despite legal provisions, government efforts and social activism to eradicate crimes such as "honour killings" which have been defended by perpetrators as a necessary measure taken to protect "tradition" and preserve caste-lines, the crisis has persisted.

There is an urgent need to act individually and collectively to improve women's status in our country. Therefore, WSDC wishes to redress women's right to gain autonomy over their bodies, sexuality and choice-making by organizing a 3-day seminar that seeks to introduce progressive objectives to address as well as contest exploitative gender ideologies and repressive societal as well as familial forces that are exerted upon women. The seminar is geared towards tackling the complexities governing women's lack of autonomy within the context of globalization and post-modernity in India. Speakers will identify the socio-cultural and economic factors within the Indian cultural framework that lead to the criminalization of choice marriages. They will also analyze and critique the deeply held gendered identities and androcentric practices grounded in caste and class consciousness. It is hoped that this national seminar will open up avenues for allowing social change and promoting women's self-sufficiency in the private and public spheres of life.

OBJECTIVE

Our target is to organize a 3-day national seminar at WSDC in order to shed critical light on women's lack of autonomy and choice-making within the culture of marriage in India. Our objective for this workshop is to bring under a common platform the crucial academic papers from leading academicians, feminist scholars and researchers who have invaluable knowledge in this field of inquiry. The paper presentations will engage in a dialogue on women's lack of choice in matrimonial matters. The notion of "honour" and its relationship with certain social groups' consciousness of class and caste status, the criminalization of 'choice marriages' as revealed by the recent violence directed upon newly wed couples who marry against the wishes of their families by belligerent khaps will also be explored and vehemently questioned. WSDC hopes to publish a well-documented Volume consisting of important research papers presented during the seminar.

INVITED LEAD PAPERS

Some well-known experts will be invited to contribute their papers on identified themes. The seminar will also include paper drawn from researches in different parts of India. Themes on the diversity of cultural practices relating to marriage in India, changing notions of marriage, the concept of "honour," lack of choice and autonomy for Indian women and the violence initiated by families and communities when dealing with assertion of individual choices regarding marriage. Grey areas on the topic of gender-related crimes such as "honour killings" will also be covered in the seminar. Invited papers will be an analytical study of focused themes and will provide a dialogue on issues pertinent to androcentric cultural traditions and women's relationship to matrimonial practices.

The Seminar will focus on the following themes and other related issues.

1. Diversity of Cultural Practices in India relating to Marriage and Changing Nature of Marriage
2. Feminist Interventions on Marriage, Divorce, Autonomy of Women
3.(a) State Interventions Pertaining to Marriage, Divorce and Property Rights
(b) Personal Laws and the Issue of Consent of Women
(c) Jats and the Concept of Gotras
4. Marriage : Property Rights in Agrarian Economy
5. Cultural Practices like Chaddar, Nata etc. and Women's Autonomy
6. State Politics : Women's Autonomy
7. Notes from the Field

OUTCOME

The national seminar will sensitize public to the socio-cultural, historical, ideological and economic factors that lead to the perpetuation of women's subjugation within the private and public sphere. Insights and information shared at the seminar will also raise awareness on the phenomenon of gendered crimes such as "honour killings" which is at the center of controversy in contemporary India. The outcome will be a progressive step towards identifying the central problems and unearthing complex patriarchal values rooted in the heart of culture and politics that aggravate women's oppression specifically in matters concerning marriage and decision-making.

Scholars are invited to participate in the Seminar. Theoretical as well as empirical studies are welcome. However, empirical studies conducted in 2008 or later will only be accepted.

It is requested that interested Scholars may also send a brief C.V. (50 words) along with the abstract. WSDC will be able to provide travel (as per University rules) and local hospitality to paper presenters coming from outside Delhi. A Certificate of participation will be given to paper presenters.

The last date for submission of abstract (300 words) of the proposed paper is 15th November, 2010. The Screening Committee would select the papers for presentation. The date of announcement of selected paper is 10th December, 2010. The last date for submission of full paper is 17th January, 2011.

Prof. Vibha Chaturvedi
Director, WSDC
Office Email : [email protected]

Dr. Manjeet Bhatia
Seminar Coordinator
Email : [email protected]

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This Education announcement was sent to e-pao.net by Otojit Kshetrimayum (Senior Fellow, WSDC, DU ) . You can contact the sender at otojit(at)gmail(dot)com
This was webcasted on october 18, 2010 .

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