Thanks @DrAyeshaRay! Women playing visible roles in protests have become symbols of freedom & progress. From @GretaThunberg leading struggle against climate change, 2 Alaa Salah leading protest songs against al-Bashir on a car in Khartoum in a traditional white toub. 1/ #WIISTOTC
In her paper, @DrAyeshaRay invites us to explore the role of women activism in current protests and mass mobilization in India. This is vital because as @EricaChenoweth finds out, direct correlation btwn the success of protest movements & the participation of women. 2/ #WIISTOTC
@DrAyeshaRay As this is work in progress, I have several “Qs” to help you think through your contribution. First, in what contexts will decisions made by a diverse array of women coalesce into a collective response, sparking a women’s movement? 3/ #WIISTOTC
A 2019 @Unwomen report on Lebanon showed protests r more likely 2 remain nonviolent if women participate. #FemSecSt warns agnst binaries: men♂️ = violence & = ♀️peace. What r the dangers of equating ♀️ w/ non-violent principles & actions, such as sit-in? 4/#WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
Under what conditions do Muslim Indian women protest on the basis of their gender identity? When do they do so on the basis of their religious/partisan/class identity? Relatedly, what kind of rituals and symbolism are they using when protesting as ♀️? 5/ #WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
Is there an ‘Indian feminism’? If yes, what makes it ‘Indian’? and what makes it ‘feminist’? What are the motivations and circumstances under which ‘Indian feminism’ has created and sustained a movement? 6/ #WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
Unclear what the relationship is between women’s activism against Hindu majoritarian nationalism, military oppression and authoritarianism, and women’s activism against patriarchy in India? It is assumed that there is, but how can you make it visible? 7/ #WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
@yolandebouka @marieeberry @JZulver & @Anne_Kreft show that after helping freedom & anti-oppression campaigns, ♀️ can become sidelined in govt transition & negotiations. Remember #Tahrirsquare. Have Kashmiri Muslim ♀️ experienced #backlash? If yes, how? 8/ #WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
Last Q: What has been the role of Indian feminist agency in the reconstitution of the nationalist project? Are feminism and nationalism two competing projects? Or are they compatible? 9/#WIISTOTC @DrAyeshaRay
Thanks for this fantastic Twitference @WIISToronto and I look forward to reading the final product! @DrAyeshaRay 10/ #WIISTOTC
