Women in Patriarchy: Cross Cultural Readings

Book Details

• Author: Jasbir Jain

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2007

• ISBN: 9788170339069

• Pages: 308

• Cover: Hardcover

• Package Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 1.0 inches

About the Book

Women in Patriarchy: Cross-Cultural Readings is an anthology that brings together twenty-three literary pieces—short stories, essays, and extracts—authored by women across the world, each piece telling a unique story. These works span over two centuries and showcase the evolution of women's struggles against patriarchy. From emotional to intellectual responses, this collection explores how women have fought against patriarchal control, crossing boundaries of race, class, and culture.

The anthology highlights how women have moved from silence to articulate protest, from subjugation to self-assertion, exploring their identities, relationships, and sexualities along the way. As women have navigated the barriers imposed by patriarchy, they have continuously evolved their strategies—from reasoning to protest, and from insanity to empowerment.

The volume is divided into two sections: the first section includes fictional works from India, England, Canada, South Africa, and the United States. These narratives explore themes such as childhood, old age, loneliness, and work, employing comedy, irony, and radical ideology. The second section delves into the critical debates of the 19th and 20th centuries, from Mary Wollstonecraft to Chandra Talpade Mohanty.

By bringing together the voices of both First and Third World women, this anthology offers insights into their collective struggles, extending boundaries of knowledge and deepening understanding of gender, culture, and society across the globe.

Key Themes Covered:

• Women's Struggles Against Patriarchy

• Cross-Cultural Narratives from India, England, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S.

• Gender, Sexuality, and Relationships

• Childhood, Old Age, Loneliness, and Work

• Feminist Debates of the 19th and 20th Centuries

• The Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender in Women's Struggles

About the Author
Jasbir Jain is a renowned writer and critic. She is currently working on a study titled "Indigenous Roots of Feminism," contributing significantly to the discourse on feminist literature and critique.