Appropriating Gender

Appropriating Genderexplores the paradoxical relationship of women to religious politics in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Contrary to the hopes of feminists, many women have responded to religious nationalist appeals; contrary to the hopes of religious nationalists, they have also asserted their gender, class, caste, and religious identities; contrary to the hopes of nation states, they have often challenged state policies and practices. Through a comparative South Asia perspective, Appropriating Genderexplores the varied meanings and expressions of gender identity through time, by location, and according to political context
The first work to focus on women's agency and activism within the South Asian context, Appropriating Genderis an outstanding contribution to the field of gender studies.