Engendering Education and Organisation

The Women's Reform Movement in India

Bibliographic Data

ID2991303
AuthorsMimansa Bharti (St. Stephen's University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume9
Issue2
Pages30
Publication date2025-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFeminist Encounters A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2468-4414 • E-ISSN: 2468-4414
PublisherLectito Publications (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.20897/femenc/16788
OpenAlexW4413872974
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited4

The 'woman question' of the late nineteenth century India developed regarding the contestation of two primary actors. The British government advocated for their aim to 'save' the native women from their own barbaric society, as an extension of their ideal of their 'civilising mission.' The consequent emergence of the Indian middle class, comprised of both reform minded men and conservationists, who concerned themselves with differential aspects of the status of women in the colonial custom. Unsurprisingly, both these outlooks were voiced by, and reflected the indigenous and foreign men's views of the Indian woman. The trajectory of the women's reform movement in witnessing the active participation of women, is one that then holds immense significance to understand the cause of change, from the real recipients of the movement. This article elaborates upon the 'educational experiment' of the late nineteenth century in India, that paved way for a generation of women to subsequently organise themselves into becoming the leading voices of the movement. The attempt to place the baton of change in the hands of women, is one that deviates from nationalist and oriental historiography that excluded them of rightful claims based on conservatisms of different, but overlapping kinds

Aesthetics · Art · Economic growth · Economics · Movement (music) · Political science · Sociology · Gender Studies · Social and Economic Development in India

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