Gendering Caste: Past and Present | Uma Chakravarti interview by Shainal Verma | Caste | Feminism

Uma Chakravarti, a distinguished feminist historian and known for her tenure at Miranda House College for Women, Delhi University, delves into a range of pivotal topics in this insightful interview. With a focus on Buddhism, early Indian history, the nineteenth century, and contemporary issues, Chakravarti's extensive body of work includes groundbreaking publications such as "Social Dimensions of Early Buddhism" and "Gendering Caste through a Feminist Lens."

However, Uma Chakravarti is considered controversial in Dalit discourse. Sunaina Arya points out that Chakravarti attempts to pluralize patriarchy by introducing terms like 'graded patriarchies' and 'Dalit patriarchy,' arguing that "Dalit women experience patriarchy in a unique way." Arya further notes that Chakravarti draws heavily from Babasaheb in conceptualizing Brahmanical patriarchy but does not academically cite him.

In this interview conducted by Shainal Verma, an anti-caste feminist research scholar in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Delhi, a range of questions pertaining to the feminist discourse are explored. The importance of centering 'caste' in the gender discourse is highlighted. Chakravarti candidly addresses her usage of the term 'Dalit Patriarchy', acknowledging that it was brought to her attention by Dalit Rajni Tilak. She recognizes the influence of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the feminist discourse in India and his brilliance in conceptualizing control over women's bodies and sexualities amid a large body of scholarly work.

Tune in to gain deeper insights into Chakravarti's views on feminism, patriarchy, caste dynamics, and the importance of intersectionality in understanding social hierarchies.

00:00 - Trailer
03:04 - Introduction
04:14 - Is Feminism anti-men?
06:16 - Patriarchy and caste in India
11:48 - Ambedkar and Feminists
12:14 - Mandal Commission and Feminists
24:21 - Dalit Patriarchy
30:12 - Who is a feminist
35:15 - Future of women in India

#feminism #Dalit #patriarchy #feminist #caste #Ambedkar