Widows and Daughters: Gender, Kinship, and Power in South Asia

ISBN 9780199408672

Overview

"Widows and Daughters: Gender, Kinship, and Power in South Asia" by Anna Suvorova, translated by Daniel Dynin, delves into the intriguing phenomenon of female political leadership in South Asia. This book examines how six women, including Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Indira Gandhi, rose to power in a region traditionally dominated by patriarchal norms. Suvorova explores the dynamics of kinship and power, offering insights into how these women navigated political landscapes shaped by dramatic events such as coups and assassinations.

Anna Suvorova and Daniel Dynin

This book outlines the so called 'contemporary Asian matriarchate'. In the twentieth century, six women have held the office of prime minister in South Asia. The pioneers were Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka-the world's first female prime minister-and Indira Gandhi, who headed the government of India. They were followed by Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Begum Khaleda Zia, who held same position in Bangladesh, and Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Sri Lankan President. Why should countries so long associated with patriarchy and the subordination of women be the focus for so many politically prominent females?

Product Features

• Format: Paperback
• ISBN: 978-0199408672
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Year: Not specified

Interesting Facts

• Anna Suvorova is a renowned Russian Orientalist and art critic, known for her extensive research on South Asian culture and politics.
• The book is part of the Oxford Pakistan Paperbacks series, which aims to make significant academic works accessible to a broader audience.
• Suvorova has been recognized for her contributions to Pakistani cultural heritage, receiving the Sitara-i-Imtiaz award in 2009.

Publishers

Oxford University Press is a prestigious publishing house known for its commitment to academic excellence and cultural scholarship.

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This book outlines the so called 'contemporary Asian matriarchate'. In the twentieth century, six women have held the office of prime minister in South Asia. The pioneers were Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka-the world's first female prime minister-and Indira Gandhi, who headed the government of India. They were followed by Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Begum Khaleda Zia, who held same position in Bangladesh, and Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Sri Lankan President. Why should countries so long associated with patriarchy and the subordination of women be the focus for so many politically prominent females? The analysts attribute it simply to inheritance as each of these women was a widow or daughter of a slain male national leader. Women have tended to move into top position of power under the most dramatic circumstances-as a result of military coups, attempted murder, and assassination. This book will try to unravel the question of how these six women have managed to take power and how they have been able to exploit to their benefit the traditions of sexuality, motherhood, and kinship in South Asia.

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
1. Female Leaders: A Coincidence or the Rule?
2. Historical Roots and Cultural Context
3. Woman and Nation
4. Narratives and Stories
5. Widowed Mother
6. Daughter of the East
7. Daughter vs Widow
8. Daughter-Widow
9. Exception to the Rule: Sister
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index

Anna Suvorova is the author of several books including Masnavi: A study of Urdu Romance (OUP, 2000), Muslim Saints of South Asia: The Eleventh to Fifteenth Century (London; New York: Routledge, 2004, paperback 2011), Early Urdu Theatre: Traditions and Transformations (Lahore: NCA Publications, 2009), Lahore: Topophilia of Space and Place (OUP, 2011), and Benazir Bhutto: A Multidimensional Portrait (OUP, 2015). Since 1972, she has worked at the Institute of Oriental Studies (Russian Academy of Sciences), currently as the Head of the Department of Asian Literatures. In 2009, she was conferred Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan for her contribution to research of Pakistani Cultural Heritage.