Subversive habits: Black Catholic nuns in the long African American freedom struggle

Abstract

standpoint is not restricted only for/by Dalit women, but also how caste-gender affects Dalit men as well as upper-caste men and women in subtle contexts. Exploring the processes and functions of hegemonic systemic oppression in micro contexts could expand our understanding of their varied manifestations in multiple contexts, their inter-connections, and create a platform for weaving counternarratives. Dalit feminists should advocate solidarity-based feminism that valorizes ‘difference’. Anandita Pan not only explores what is different about Dalit feminism but also investigates ‘how’ it is different. Moreover, if ‘difference’ in Dalit women’s protest is to be historicized, then these struggles should be reinscribed, underlining the specificities of Dalit women’s experiences. She analyses the contentious relationship between knowledge and power and engages in an incisive discussion on knowledge production. Such analytical lens is used to highlight contesting narratives and re-create history. While Anandita Pan is optimistic concerning the possibilities of coalition across communities, identities, religions, and regions, she acknowledges the difficulties in achieving this. However, she does not address these issues in much detail. Furthermore, while the book focuses exclusively on the intersections between caste and gender, one cannot be oblivious to the intra-group differences among Dalit women due to their varying positionality. Nevertheless, given the stifling socio-political climate and Dalit feminism’s gradual entry into the academia, this book is a timely intervention to dismantle homogeneous feminist voices and contextualize the debate on intersectionality in order to critically analyse both the ‘sisterhood’ claims of mainstream Indian feminism and centralization of caste in Dalit movement or Dalit politics.