Shaping The Discourse: Women's Writings In Bengali Periodicals (1865-1947)

This volume of translations from Bangla literature explores the process of the formation of gender discourse in society through practice. The essays were all written by women from Bengal, before the division of Pakistan, East and West, and India. The consequences of the first partition of Bengal, 1905, politicized religious identities and introduced some self-consciousness that was articulated in womens writing. Interestingly, the first text in this collection is known as the first and only signed piece of writing by a Muslim woman in a non-Muslim journal. These selections across time permit us to discern the dynamics of change in positions and strategies regarding certain issues like womens education, child marriage, widow remarriage, womens seclusion, reform, self-help and work for the country. A path-breaking collection that will enhance the audiences understanding of gender.