About the Book
This work is focused on deciphering perception and participation of women in Punjab politics, both qualitatively and quantitatively. It tries to reflect on cultural gender of social mind as evident in literature and folklore. This is the first of its kind study which explores hitherto totally ignored area of participation of women in Punjab politics from the perspective of performance appraisal of women legislatures and the experience of contemporary leading women leaders of Punjab.
The book offers credentials of contemporary women leadership and their trials and tribulations while scaling the ladder of Punjab politics. Women leaders have also expressed their views on socio-political lingering issue of female foeticide and NRI run-away grooms. It appears that negligible number of contemporary women MLAs in Punjab Legislative Assembly and their colossal political backgrounds represent kinship and chance availed entry to politics. Moreover, their ‘constructed’ inability as cogent leaders of the House, enunciates upon unrelenting truth of permanent cultural genitals and masculine politics. The book also points out that exposure to education and employment still cannot arrest dodging of gender perspective within Punjab politics. In the concrete, this work examines the lack of laywomen's political participation in their gendered bodies, literature and culture of Punjab. It also observes that virile and elite character of Punjab politics further deepens the chasm between politics and women. Degendering enculturation process of body, mind, society and politics has been stressed to enhance participation of women in politics. This reader-friendly narrative will for sure ignite the minds of curious readers.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Feminism, Gender and Politics: An Overview
3 Enculturation, Gender and Politics in Punjab: An Overview
4 An Account of Leading Contemporary Women Politicians
5 Epilogue
About the Author / Editor
Ajaypal Kaur did her PhD from Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar. She started her journey of research in 2003 and has two books and ten articles to her credit. She was also a Post Doctorate Fellow of ICSSR, New Delhi. She has taught at School of Social Sciences, GNDU, Amritsar amongst other institutions of repute and have attended eleven international/national seminars. She is presently serving as Assistant Professor of Political Science at Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana.
