Gender Studies 333SA - Women/Gender in Mod. So. Asia

This colloquium will explore the history of South Asia as seen from women's perspectives. We will read writings by women from the ancient period to the present. We will focus on the diversity of women's experiences in a range of social, cultural, and religious contexts. Themes include sexuality, religiosity, rights to education and employment, violence against women, modernity and citizenship--in short, those issues central to women's movements in modern South Asia. In addition to the textual sources, the course will analyze Indian popular film and the representation of women in this modern visual genre.