Gender, Religion and Caste

• Gender and Politics

  • Public/Private Division
    • Sexual division of labour
    • Women do domestic work, men work outside
    • Feminist movements challenge this
  • Women’s Political Representation
    • Patriarchy and male dominance
    • Low representation in Legislatures (Lok Sabha < 15%)
    • Panchayati Raj reservation (1/3rd seats for women)
  • Demands of Feminism
    • Equal rights and opportunities
    • Ending oppression and violence

• Religion, Communalism and Politics

  • Religious Differences
    • Not always a source of communal tension
    • Public expression of religious beliefs is common
  • Communalism
    • Using religion in politics
    • Communal Politics: Belief that one religion is superior
    • Forms of Communalism:
      • Everyday prejudices and stereotypes
      • Quest for political dominance
      • Communal Violence (riots, massacres)
  • Secular State
    • India has no official religion
    • Constitution grants freedom to profess/practice any religion
    • Equal treatment of all religions by the state

• Caste and Politics

  • Caste Inequalities
    • Rooted in the Caste System (hereditary occupational division)
    • Untouchability and exclusion
    • Social reformers: Jotirao Phule, Gandhiji, B.R. Ambedkar
    • Decline of rigid caste barriers due to urbanization and literacy
  • Caste in Politics
    • Choosing candidates based on caste composition
    • Mobilizing caste groups for votes
    • Caste != Only Factor: Voters also look at performance, party, and leader
  • Politics in Caste
    • Caste groups enter political arena to demand power
    • New caste groups emerge (Backward/Forward)
    • Positive: Gives marginalized a voice
    • Negative: Diverts attention from poverty, corruption, development