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

Notes:

00:01:03:11- In 19th century Bengal, what were the anxieties around ‘modern’ women travelers? And how did these anxieties make their way into popular writings and art at the time?

00:11:15:04- How did the travel writing of Kailashbashini Debi enable her to claim a voice in public space and advocate for the restructuring of domestic life?

00:19:15:18- How did communitarian reading groups in colonial Bengal assert the importance of reading as a leisurely practice for Bengali women? And how did this shape the ideal of the Bengali bhadra mahila (the ideal, chaste woman)?

00:29:00:20- How has print culture been impacted by the changes in contemporary reading cultures?

00:34:43:19- What do instances of enforcement of morality tell us about society’s discomfort with women being in public?

00:39:35:22- What is femslash fiction? How can we understand it in the context of Indian popular culture? Can subcultures like femslash contribute to queer visibility in India?

Credits:

Featuring: Dr. Swati Moitra

Producer: Aditi Patel

Original Interview Edit: Anahita Sachdev

Cover Art: Hitesh Sonar

Creative Director: Shrishti Malhotra

Executive Producer: Karla Bookman