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In this regular issue of the Journal of International Women's Studies, we present scholarly articles, film reviews, book reviews, and creative writing addressing diverse topics in Women's and Gender Studies [...]

Gender is key to understanding any human society. With a focus on how gendered power and privilege operate in different socio-cultural settings, this issue of the Journal of International Women's [...]

This article analyses the film Thappad (The Slap) (2020) directed by Anubhav Sinha, which portrays slapping as a form of domestic abuse and a violation of women’s right to self-respect. This study investigates the incorporation of Universal Human Rights principles into the discourse of Hindi cinema. Through textual analysis of the film text, the paper examines how the film employs the language of rights as a counter-narrative against patriarchal ideologies, promoting gender equality and dignity within domestic settings. It argues that by countering the conservative cultural perspectives pertaining to spousal abuse through the discourse and philosophy of Human Rights, the film contributes to societal transformation. The paper identifies a shift in the film’s discourse from traditional, orthodox narratives to universal narratives centred around rights.

In India, male dominance historically prevailed in the realms of travel and travel writing due to their alignment with ideals of masculine courage and sexuality. However, in the post-millennial era, Indian women began to emerge as solo travelers in the tourism industry, facilitated by increased access to higher education and diverse professions. By analyzing the travel memoir of Shivya Nath, a prominent Indian female travel blogger, titled The Shooting Star (2018), this article explores the concept of solo travel as a heterotopic space—a realm of resistance and negotiation that empowers women and offers an alternative form of liberation. Nath’s memoir celebrates female emancipation, defying narratives of victimhood. The argument presented is that solo travel represents an active form of resistance against gender stereotypes, enabling women to overcome personal fears and logistical obstacles.

Cinematic works around indigenous lives in India have long been marginalized within the scope of 'film as an entertaining art form.' Striking a balance between a faithful rendition of an indigenous community and the infusion of entertainment seemed impossible within the Indian film industry until Kantara struck the silver screen. Since its release, the film has been subjected to constructive and positive criticism, but the representation of women in the film has either remained unattended to or viewed negatively. This research paper intends to approach the use of indigenous media and epistemology in the film as a symptomatic representation of fourth cinema and then to address the representation of women from the perspective of faithful representation and indigeneity., Film Information: Title: Kantara Director: Rishab Shetty Producer: Vijay Kiragandur Distributor: KRG Studios Release Year: 2022 Length: 150 minutes Genre: Action Thriller Introduction The history of Indian cinema experienced a [...]

As we battle with continuing disparities and injustices based on gender and sexuality, the need for critical and nuanced analysis in this arena is more pressing than ever. This introduction [...]

As co-executive editors of the JIWS, we are delighted to present our first regular issue of 2023 with a diverse array of articles, creative work, and reviews addressing women's issues [...]

The representation of menstruation in Indian media texts (films, short films, and advertisements) is limited. Besides the advertisement of industrially produced sanitary napkins, we hardly come across their mention. Even in cinematic spaces with female leads, the issue remains unuttered. Since the last half of the previous decade, there has been a conscious attempt to raise awareness around menstruation. Considering menstruation as a socially mediated biological process, in which bodies become sites where social constructions of differences are mapped onto human beings to inflict violence upon the subject, these works have resisted this systematic patriarchal oppression by asking an appropriate question, 'which bodies are producing knowledge about which other bodies?' (Harcourt, 2009, p. 13), indicating that this assigning of impurity to menstruation through myths, taboos, and restrictions is a patriarchal construct. In many parts of India, menstruating women are not even allowed inside the kitchen or the temple. This forced isolation is indeed gender-based violence, which is driven by socio-cultural and religious beliefs compounded with gender norms. The research paper argues that by reading menstruation through the lens of body politics and in the context of media representation currently prevalent in India, it is now possible to understand and decode menstruation as a phenomenon of gendered oppression. Additionally, through these compelling narratives, it is also possible to reflect on the process by which these interventions contribute to the altering of everyday practices and their limitations. This might lead to social change by demystifying taboos around the menstrual body and showing women their situation in a way that affirms they can act to change it and reconstruct a meaningful relationship to their bodies. Keywords: Menstruation; Body politics; Taboo; Sexual violence; Media texts; India, Introduction The girl of five does not make any use of lateral space. She does not stretch her arm sideward; she does not twist her trunk; she does not move [...]