Abstract
This paper aims at analyzing the problem of (in)visibility of women in the public sphere. In the context of the contemporary debate on gender and social issues, I examine the position of marginalized women through readings of chosen works by women artists from India. For my analysis I have chosen a visual narration/biography by Dayanita Singh consisting of photographs (and later added text) of a charismatic hijra Mona Ahmed, a photographic story Durga by Sharmistha Dutta, who deals with widowhood and godliness, and poetry by Jyotsna Milan, one of the contemporary Hindi writers, who raises her voice against unequal gender roles in Indian society. These three examples, despite formal differences, address similar questions: of social norms and clichés, prevailing in the modern times, of tradition and subjectivity, of feminine corporality and individual needs. This study adds to the discussion on gendered exclusion in public policy and decision-making roles. Thus, it contributes to the fields of sociology, gender and women’s studies, visual culture, and culture studies.
Presenters
Kamila JunikAssistant Professor, South Asia and South-East Asia, Jagiellonian University, Malopolskie, Poland
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Women Studies, Gendered Exclusion, Intersectionality, Women Activism, Visual Culture
