In an endeavor to understand the complex and intricate connection between caste and gender, the KIIT School of Law organized a special lecture on the theme ‘Unraveling the Caste-Gender Complex’, delivered by Professor Kalpana Kannabiran, a lawyer, sociologist and former Director of Council of Social Development, Hyderabad through virtual mode on 22th April 2021.
Prof. Kannbiran highlighted the importance of examining the social processes through the lens of intersectionality, especially that of caste, class and gender. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s writings give an insight into the historical and material conditions of subjugation of Dalits, their public protests, conversion and resistance to the structural violence embedded within the caste system, she said. She also drew attention to the attempts by women such as Tarabai Shinde, Savitribai Phule and Pandita Ramabai, who confronted the Brahmanical patriarchy and the upper caste male privileges. Prof Kannabiran also spoke about the economies of caste, exclusion and gradation of penalties with the caste system and how the Constitution seeks to redress this problem by making fraternity a core value. Inclusion of the word ‘dignity’ in the preamble sets the tone for building a plural, multiplex society based on equality, non-discrimination and right to life with dignity, she added.
The lecture was coordinated by Dr. Binita Behera, Assistant Professor, School of Law. Coordination support for the webinar was given by Senior Professors, Prof. Sanghamitra Patnaik and Prof. Arpita Mitra as well as Assistant Professors, Dr. Ramesh Ch. Sethi and Dr. Soumya Mohapatra.