THE IDEA OF “NEW INDIAN WOMAN” BY WESTERNIZED ELITES OF MADRAS PRESIDENCY (1860–1930)

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  M. Usoltseva

Abstract

The paper analyzes the different interpretations of the idea of “new Indian woman” – educated female representative of the Westernized intelligentsia. In general terms, this idea refers to the new social role of the middle class woman as representative of a “true identity” of an educated Indian. Inasmuch as the concept of “true identity” depends on specific economic, geographical and socio-cultural parameters of a particular intellectual circle, we consider the “new woman” as the key idea to understanding this identity, as well as an indicator that shows how various elites of the Madras Presidency solved a compromise between tradition and modernization. Furthermore, the article focuses on the analysis of women’s interpretation of this idea.

How to Cite

Usoltseva, M. (2015). THE IDEA OF “NEW INDIAN WOMAN” BY WESTERNIZED ELITES OF MADRAS PRESIDENCY (1860–1930). The World of the Orient, (2 (87), 46-56. https://doi.org/10.15407/orientw2015.02.046
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Keywords

Idea, Madras Presidency, New Indian Woman, Westernized Elites

References

Anandhi S. Middle Class Women in Colonial Tamilnadu, 1920–1947: Gender Relation and the Problem of Consciousness. New Delhi, 1992.

Anjaneyulu D. Builders of Modern India: Kandukuri Veeresalingam. New Delhi, 1976

Badran M. Dual liberation: Feminism and nationalism in Egypt, 1870s–1925 // Gender Issues. Т. 8. № 1. 1988.

Besant A. Shri Rama Chandra: the Ideal King. Some Lessons from the Ramayana. Benares – London, 1905.

Chatterjee P. Colonialism, Nationalism, and Colonialized Women: The Contest in India // American ethnologist. Vol. 16, № 4. 1989. https://doi.org/10.1525/ae.1989.16.4.02a00020

Classical Telugu Poetry. An Anthology. California, 2004.

Forbes. G. & Forbes G. H. Women in modern India. Cambridge, 2008.

Ganesan U. Gender and Caste: Self-Respect Movement in the Madras Presidency, 1925–1950: Dis. University of Cincinnati, 2011.

George G. “Four makes society”: Women’s organisation, Dravidian nationalism and women’s interpretation of caste, gender and change in South India // Contribution to Indian sociology. Vol. 36, № 3. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1177/006996670203600303

Hancock M. Home science and the nationalization of domesticity in colonial India // Modern Asian Studies. Vol. 35, № 4. 2001. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X01004048

Hodges S. Revolutionary family life and the Self Respect movement in Tamil south India, 1926–49 // Contributions to Indian sociology. T. 39, № 2. 2005.

Hudson D. The Responses of Tamils to Their Study by Westerners 1608–1908 // Comparative Civilizations Review, 1985, № 13–14.

Hunter W. Report of the Indian Education Commission, 1881–1882. Calcutta, 1883.

Kent E. F. Converting women: gender and Protestant Christianity in colonial South India. New York, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1093/0195165071.001.0001

Lakshmi C. Tradition and Modernity of Tamil Women Writers // Social Scientist. Vol. 4, No. 9. 1976. https://doi.org/10.2307/3516176

Leonard J. Politics and social change in South India: A study of the Andhra movement // Journal of Commonwealth & Comparative Politics. Vol. 5, № 1. 1967.

Periyar. Minister Raja’s Speech. – https://archive.org/details/PeriyarBooks

Ram N. Dravidian Movement in Its Pre-Independence Phases // Economic and Political Weekly. Vol. 14, No. 7/8, Annual Number: Class and Caste in India. 1979.

Ramakrishna V. Women’s Journals in Andhra during the Nineteenth Century // Social Scientist. Vol. 19, No. 5/6. 1991. https://doi.org/10.2307/3517874

Ramalakshmi P. Reform Movement in Godavari District (1878–1939). An Attempt Towards Social Justice. Ramachandrapuram, 1995.

Raman S. Old norms in new bottles: Constructions of gender and ethnicity in the early Tamil novel // Journal of Women’s History. Vol. 12, № 3. 2000. https://doi.org/10.1353/jowh.2000.0063

Ramusack B. Cultural missionaries, maternal imperialists, feminist allies: British women activists in India, 1865–1945 // Women’s Studies International Forum. Vol. 13, № 4. 1990. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-5395(90)90028-V

Rani S. Women’s Worlds in the Novels of Kandukuri and Gilman // Comparative Literature and Culture. Vol. 14, № 2. 2012.

Reddy I. Social Reform Movements in Andhra (1920–1947). Dis. Hyderabad, 1998.

Scherer M. A cross-cultural conflict reexamined: Annette Akroyd and Keshub Chunder Sen // Journal of World History. Vol. 9, № 2. 1996. https://doi.org/10.1353/jwh.2005.0044

Shreenivas M. Emotion, Identity, and the Female Subject: Tamil Women’s Magazines in Colonial India, 1890–1940 // Journal of Women’s History. Vol. 14 № 4. 2003.

Sinha M. Specters of Mother India: The Global Restructuring of an Empire. Durham, 2006.

Speeches and writings of Sarojini Naidu. Madras, 1925.

Tangri S. Intellectuals and Society in Nineteenth-Century India // Comparative Studies in Society and History. Vol. 3, № 04. 1961. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417500001079

Venkatachalapathy A. In those days there was no coffee: Writings in cultural history // New Perspectives on Indian Pasts. New Delhi, 2006.

Whitehead J. Community Honor / Sexual Boundaries: A Discursive Analysis of Devadasi Criminalization in Madras, India, 1920–1947 // Prostitution: On Whores, Hustlers, and Johns / Ed. by James E. Elias; Vern L. Bullough; Veronica Elias; Gwen Brewer. New York, 1998.

Writer R. Parsi Identity // Iran. Vol. 27. 1989.

REFERENCES

Anandhi S. (1992), Middle Class Women in Colonial Tamilnadu, 1920–1947: Gender Relation and the Problem of Consciousness, New Delhi.

Anjaneyulu D. (1976), Builders of Modern India: Kandukuri Veeresalingam, New Delhi.

Badran M. (1988), “Dual liberation: Feminism and nationalism in Egypt, 1870s–1925”, Gender Issues, T. 8. No. 1.

Besant A. (1905), Shri Rama Chandra: the Ideal King. Some Lessons from the Ramayana, Benares, London.

Chatterjee P. (1989), “Colonialism, Nationalism, and Colonialized Women: The Contest in India”, American ethnologist, Vol. 16, No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1525/ae.1989.16.4.02a00020

Classical Telugu Poetry. An Anthology (2004), California.

Forbes. G. and Forbes G. H. (2008), Women in modern India, Cambridge.

Ganesan U. (2011), Gender and Caste: Self-Respect Movement in the Madras Presidency, 1925–1950, Dis. University of Cincinnati.

George G. (2002), “ ‘Four makes society’: Women’s organisation, Dravidian nationalism and women’s interpretation of caste, gender and change in South India”, Contribution to Indian sociology, Vol. 36, No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/006996670203600303

Hancock M. (2001), “Home science and the nationalization of domesticity in colonial India”, Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 35, No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X01004048

Hodges S. (2005), “Revolutionary family life and the Self Respect movement in Tamil south India, 1926–49”, Contributions to Indian sociology, T. 39, No. 2.

Hudson D. (1985), “The Responses of Tamils to Their Study by Westerners 1608–1908”, Comparative Civilizations Review, No. 13–14.

Hunter W. (1883), Report of the Indian Education Commission, 1881–1882, Calcutta.

Kent E. F. (2004), Converting women: gender and Protestant Christianity in colonial South India, New York. https://doi.org/10.1093/0195165071.001.0001

Lakshmi C. (1976), “Tradition and Modernity of Tamil Women Writers”, Social Scientist, Vol. 4, No. 9. https://doi.org/10.2307/3516176

Leonard J. (1967), “Politics and social change in South India: A study of the Andhra movement”, Journal of Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, Vol. 5, No. 1.

Periyar, Minister Raja’s Speech, available at: https://archive.org/details/PeriyarBooks

Ram N. (1979), “Dravidian Movement in Its Pre-Independence Phases”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 14, No. 7/8, Annual Number: Class and Caste in India.

Ramakrishna V. (1991), “Women’s Journals in Andhra during the Nineteenth Century”, Social Scientist, Vol. 19, No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.2307/3517874

Ramalakshmi P. (1995), Reform Movement in Godavari District (1878–1939). An Attempt Towards Social Justice, Ramachandrapuram.

Raman S. (2000), “Old norms in new bottles: Constructions of gender and ethnicity in the early Tamil novel”, Journal of Women’s History, Vol. 12, No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1353/jowh.2000.0063

Ramusack B. (1990), “Cultural missionaries, maternal imperialists, feminist allies: British women activists in India, 1865–1945”, Women’s Studies International Forum, Vol. 13, No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-5395(90)90028-V

Rani S. (2012), “Women’s Worlds in the Novels of Kandukuri and Gilman”, Comparative Literature and Culture, Vol. 14, No. 2.

Reddy I. (1998), Social Reform Movements in Andhra (1920–1947), Dis., Hyderabad.

Scherer M. (1996), “A cross-cultural conflict reexamined: Annette Akroyd and Keshub Chunder Sen”, Journal of World History, Vol. 9, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1353/jwh.2005.0044

Shreenivas M. (2003), “Emotion, Identity, and the Female Subject: Tamil Women’s Magazines in Colonial India, 1890–1940”, Journal of Women’s History, Vol. 14, No. 4.

Sinha M. (2006), Specters of Mother India: The Global Restructuring of an Empire, Durham.

Speeches and writings of Sarojini Naidu (1925), Madras.

Tangri S. (1961), “Intellectuals and Society in Nineteenth-Century India”, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 3, No. 04. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417500001079

Venkatachalapathy A. (2006), “In those days there was no coffee: Writings in cultural history”, in New Perspectives on Indian Pasts, New Delhi.

Whitehead J. (1998), “Community Honor / Sexual Boundaries: A Discursive Analysis of Devadasi Criminalization in Madras, India, 1920–1947”, in James E. Elias, Vern L. Bullough, Veronica Elias and Gwen Brewer (Eds.), Prostitution: On Whores, Hustlers, and Johns, New York.

Writer R. (1989), “Parsi Identity”, Iran, Vol. 27.