Mapping Feminist International Relations in South Asia

Shweta Singh is Associate Professor of International Relations at the South Asian University, New Delhi, India.Amena Mohsin is Professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

• Introduction Section I: Thinking Feminist Epistemologies ‘Differently’ in South Asia Chapter 1: Can Feminist IR Hear Differing Voice? A Critical Reading of Feminist Historie(s) in South Asia, ‘Reification’ and Boundaries Chapter 2: ‘A Feminist Debt’: Conversation between Feminist and Non-Western Thought Chapter 3: Framing Feminist Strategic Discourse: Jahanara Begum and the Exchange of Letters During the War of Succession (1657-9) Chapter 4: Silencing and Questioning: The Quest for Peace and a New Praxis in South Asia? Chapter 5: Feminist Engagement with a Racist State: Ethical, Political and Epistemological Dilemma Section II : Re-thinking Women, Peace and Security Agenda Chapter 6: Which Women, What Women, What Peace and Whose Agenda in South Asia Chapter 7: International Dimension of Feminist South Asia: The case of the WPS Agenda Chapter 8: Performative Impact or Transformative Change: Implementation of the WPS Agenda in Nepal Chapter 9: Violent Extremism and the ‘Prevention’ Pillar in the WPS Agenda: Critical Perspectives from Bangladesh Section III: Gender, Populism and Nationalism Chapter 10: Wall Art Wave in Sri Lanka: Sinhala Buddhist Militarized Male Body as an Authoritarian Populist Space Chapter 11: Framing Political Masculinity and Gendered Populism: Bangladesh and the World Chapter 12: Gender, Populism and Nationalism: Mapping the Indian Context Section IV: Militarism and Militarisation Chapter 13: Does Militarization have one form? Narratives from the Darjeeling Himalayas Chapter 14: Military, Militants and Men: The “3M’s” dominating Pakistan’s war on terror in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

“This unique and layered collection reveals the distinct South Asian feminist conceptualizations of international relations and its components. Essays theorize feminist contributions on aspects of foreign policy, conflict, power and inter community relations in specific South Asian countries. Path breaking essays excavate how women have advised on the criticality of negotiations, leveraging interests and compromise during key power struggles in medieval and ancient India, that authoritatively show that while feminism may be an aspect of modernity, women’s contribution to the understanding of state and power relations are embedded in South Asian history. This book makes significant contribution to knowledge by uncovering the debt of contemporary international relations to the hitherto hidden contribution of women and feminists in the understanding of the constituent elements of international relations.”Anuradha Chenoy, Adjunct Professor, Jindal Global University; Associate Fellow Transnational Institute -The Netherlands; Former dean and professor School of International Studies, JNU, India“A pioneering work on Feminist International Relations in South Asia, this volume expertly weaves together cross-cutting themes central to the feminist agenda: feminist knowledge production, WPS, gendered populism, nationalism, and militarization. A must-read for anyone interested in feminist IR and gender in South Asia.”Keshab Giri, Lecturer in International Relations, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK and Research Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School“This volume makes an outstanding contribution to the field of Feminist International Relations. The editors have brought together an impressive group of South Asian feminist scholars who offer innovative and critical insights across a range of issues at the heart of the Feminist IR agenda.”Monika Barthwal-Datta, Senior Lecturer in International Security at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Australia“Mapping first and second generation South Asian feminist scholarship, this important collection takes place and space seriously, considering not only how geography and epistemology are intertwined but also how global issues and events are apprehended and understood in the region. The volume features compelling contributions from leading scholars and is a must-read both for anyone wishing to understand the dynamics of gendered politics and power in South Asia and for those seeking to further their knowledge of debates in feminist IR more broadly.”Laura J. Shepherd, Professor of International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia