ANTH 2108 Chapter 1: Paratha Chatterjee, Nationalist Resolution to Womens question
20 Feb 2017
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Central issue in most 19th century controversial debates: bengal in particular. Vidyasagar: legalize widow remarriage and abolish polygamy: after 19th (cid:272). (cid:862)wo(cid:373)e(cid:374)(cid:859)s issues(cid:863) sudde(cid:374)l(cid:455) (cid:374)ot as popula(cid:396) to de(cid:271)ate. Ghulam murshid says that if you take liberal rationalist and egalitarian content seriously: afte(cid:396) the (cid:862)pe(cid:374)et(cid:396)atio(cid:374)(cid:863) of (cid:449)este(cid:396)(cid:374) ideas->(cid:272)lea(cid:396) (cid:862)(cid:396)et(cid:396)og(cid:396)essio(cid:374)(cid:863) Anti-western attitude hardened: problem lies in original structure of assumptions. From perspective of colonial rule preventing full liberal reform: di(cid:373)i(cid:374)ished i(cid:373)po(cid:396)ta(cid:374)(cid:272)e of (cid:449)o(cid:373)e(cid:374)(cid:859)s (cid:395)uestio(cid:374) i(cid:374) (cid:396)e(cid:374)aissa(cid:374)(cid:272)e. Sumit sarkar argues limitations of nationalist ideology in pushing social change. Elements of social conservativism: maintenance of caste distinctions, patriarchal authority, acceptance of ancient scriptures. Concern with social condition of women-> less an indicator of liberal preference than: e(cid:454)p(cid:396)essio(cid:374) of (cid:862)a(cid:272)ute p(cid:396)o(cid:271)le(cid:373)s of i(cid:374)te(cid:396)pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)al adjust(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts (cid:449)ithi(cid:374) fa(cid:373)il(cid:455)(cid:863) New problem: if reforms in 19th c. were not because of acceptance of western ideas, where did reform come from: perhaps nationalism did face up to social and cultural problems concerning women.
