In this episode, feminist historian and social critic Dr. Jayakumari Devika speaks with us  about the Channar rebellion in the 19th century, women’s writing, and changing gender relations in Kerala.

‘In Perspective’ is The Swaddle’s podcast series where academics reveal little-known facts about Indian history, society and culture. 

Notes: 

00:00:56:06- What led to Malayali women gaining access to public life in the late 19th and early 20th century in Kerala? What effect did this have on women’s liberation? 

00:17:20:11- In what ways was the work of women writing in 20th century Kerala oppositional? And how was it received in literary circles at the time, and by the general public?

00:29:53:10- Where did Nadar women’s impetus to resist and fight for their right to wear an upper garment come from? What was the significance of it? 

00:51:56:05- The targets of family planning in Kerala have invariably been women. Did a lot of the women understand what was happening? Did they resist this?

00:57:15:13- What impact did liberalization and the opening up of the global labor market have on gender relations and the nature of the nuclear family in Kerala? 

01:07:33:23- Can you contextualize the opposition from neo-savarna and sangh-parivar organizations and campaigns after the 2018 verdict on women’s entry in the Sabarimala temple? How does discourse from campaigns like the ‘Ready to Wait’ campaign complicate the idea of women’s agency? 

01:13:36:00- Did we anticipate the kind of public discourse that arose around the issue of women’s entry to the Sabarimala temple in 2018?  Have there been precedents to this?