UGC NET/JRF EXAM, December-2023 WOMEN’S STUDIES

Michel Foucault, a French philosopher and social theorist, introduced the concept of power as something that permeates society at every level, much like the flow of blood through capillaries in the human body.

This analogy captures Foucault's idea that power is not only concentrated in government or large institutions but is distributed throughout society in everyday interactions and social norms.

He argued that power affects knowledge and vice versa, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world.

His theories have significantly impacted various fields, including sociology, cultural studies, and political science, by highlighting how power dynamics shape human behaviour and societal structures.

Women's Studies as an academic field aims to uncover and challenge the myriad ways in which gender influences and structures our society.

It involves critically examining both subtle and overt cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequalities.

This interdisciplinary field not only addresses issues related to women but also studies the complexities of gender and its intersections with race, class, sexuality, and other social categories.

The purpose of this study is to foster a deeper understanding of these dynamics, promote social justice, and contribute to more equitable societal norms.

By doing so, Women's Studies equips students with the analytical tools needed to recognize and address gender-related issues in various societal contexts.

Gender analysis is a critical tool used in policy-making and project- management to ensure that the distinct needs and experiences of women and men are considered and addressed appropriately.

It involves examining the differences in conditions, needs, participation rates, access to resources, development opportunities, and control over assets between women and men in their existing social and economic contexts.

The goal is to achieve gender equity through informed policy decisions that accommodate these differences effectively.

Such analysis helps prevent one-size-fitsall approaches that might overlook specific needs or reinforce existing inequalities, thereby promoting more effective and equitable outcomes in policy and program implementation.

The Sanitease scheme under India's Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aims to improve hygiene and health among young women, especially in educational settings. This initiative focuses on creating awareness about menstrual health and providing sanitary napkins to women and girls in rural and urban schools.

By ensuring access to basic sanitary products, the scheme addresses a critical barrier to education for many girls who miss school during their menstrual periods due to lack of proper sanitary provisions. This program is part of a broader effort under the 'Swachhagraha social development activity, which promotes cleanliness and health awareness across different facets of society.

Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), an initiative aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates in India, pregnant women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, specifically those belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Below Poverty Line categories, receive a cash incentive of 700 rupees.

This incentive is provided when they choose to deliver their babies in health institutions in rural areas. The program encourages institutional deliveries, which are safer for both the mother and the baby, thereby reducing the risks associated with childbirth. The cash incentive is designed to cover travel expenses, encourage hospital births over home deliveries, and reduce financial barriers to accessing healthcare services during childbirth.

The CBSE Merit Scholarship Scheme specifically targets the 'Single Girl Child'. It is designed to support and encourage the education of single girl children in India, acknowledging the unique financial challenges they might face in pursuing further education.

This scholarship aims to promote gender equality in education by providing financial assistance to single girl students who have excelled in their studies at the secondary school level.

The focus on single girl children is a strategic measure to empower this demographic, ensuring they can continue their education without financial strain, thus helping to break cycles of gender disparity in educational attainment.

Maharashtra launched the Asmita Yojana in 2018 to address menstrual hygiene among young women and adolescent girls.

This scheme involves local self-help groups procuring sanitary napkins from suppliers and distributing them to women and girls who hold Asmita cards at subsidized rates.

The initiative aims to improve accessibility to quality sanitary products, reduce absenteeism in schools during menstruation, and promote menstrual health awareness.

By involving self-help groups, the program also supports local economies and empowers women by involving them in the supply chain of these essential health products.

Julia Kristeva, a prominent BulgarianFrench philosopher and psychoanalyst, critically addressed the traditional psychoanalytic theories which often collapse language into biology.

Kristeva argued that upon entering the symbolic order-a concept in Lacanian psychoanalysis where language and societal laws come into play-both boys and girls have the potential to adopt a feminine mode of writing and expression.

Her theory challenges the rigid gender binaries and emphasizes the fluidity of identity and expression, suggesting that gender is not merely a biological fate but a complex play of cultural, social, and psychological forces.

The term 'Shadow Pandemic' emerged during the COVID-19 crisis to describe the global increase in domestic violence against women triggered by lockdowns and stress associated with the pandemic.

This phenomenon is called a shadow pandemic because it parallels the primary health crisis but is less visible, often occurring within the privacy of homes.

The term highlights how crises can exacerbate existing societal issues, such as violence against women, and stresses the need for greater attention and resources to address these surging hidden crises alongside the direct health impacts of the pandemic.

Ann Scales coined the term 'Feminist Jurisprudence' which refers to the study and critique of laws from a feminist perspective. This field examines how legal systems uphold gender disparities and explores ways to reform these institutions to achieve gender justice.

Feminist júrisprudence challenges traditional legal theories and practices that have historically marginalized or discriminated against women, advocating for legal interpretations and policies that consider and address the specific needs and rights of women.

This approach to law seeks to redefine legal concepts and methods to ensure they support the equality and empowerment of all genders.