GENDER STUDIES Archives

Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali : An Analysis

October 20, 2026October 20, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 15 minutesSarah Caldwell’s Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali is an important anthropological study of religious practices in Keralam. The book explores the worship of Goddess Bhagavati and the ritual performance known as mutiyettu. Through this study, Caldwell examines the relationships among religion, gender, sexuality, violence, caste, social life, etc. The…

GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - PG, PERFORMING GENDER

Ocean Vuong’s “Someday I’ll Love Ocean”: A Journey Towards Self-Love

October 12, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 3 minutes“Someday I’ll Love Ocean” is a deeply emotional poem by Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong. The speaker addresses himself as Ocean, as if comforting his younger self. The poem describes his struggle to overcome painful memories and learn to accept himself. Self-love is the poem’s central theme. The opening line, “Ocean, don’t be afraid,” shows the…

FYUGP SYLLABUS, GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, QUEER STUDIES, WOMEN'S WRITING

A Celebration of the Human Body: A Critical Appreciation of Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric”

October 11, 2026October 11, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 7 minutesWalt Whitman (1819–1892) is one of the most important American poets and is widely known as the Father of Free Verse. “I Sing the Body Electric” is one of Whitman’s most powerful poems. It celebrates the human body as beautiful and sacred. The poet rejects the traditional belief that the body is inferior to the soul….

FYUGP SYLLABUS, GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, QUEER STUDIES

Walt Whitman: The Poet of Democracy and Humanity

October 11, 2026October 11, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 1 Comment

Reading Time: 2 minutesWalt Whitman (1819–1892) is one of American literature’s most important poets. He is often called America’s world poet because his works explore universal themes. Along with Emily Dickinson, he is regarded as one of the nineteenth century’s greatest American poets. Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, on Long Island, New York, and grew up…

FYUGP SYLLABUS, GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, QUEER STUDIES

Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence: A Critical Analysis

October 11, 2026October 11, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 1 Comment

Reading Time: 3 minutesAdrienne Rich (1929–2012) was an influential American feminist thinker. Her essay Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence (1980), published in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, is an important contribution to feminist theory and lesbian studies. In this essay, Rich challenges the assumption that heterosexuality is a natural and universal condition. She argues that…

FYUGP SYLLABUS, GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, QUEER STUDIES, WOMEN'S WRITING

Adrienne Rich as a Queer Writer: Lesbian Identity and Resistance

October 11, 2026October 11, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 1 Comment

Reading Time: 2 minutesAdrienne Rich (1929–2012) was a prominent American feminist thinker whose writings made significant contributions to lesbian literature and queer studies. Her poetry and critical essays challenge compulsory heterosexuality and the marginalisation of lesbian identities. She connects personal experiences of sexuality with broader questions of gender and social justice. Rich’s early poetry, including A Change of…

FYUGP SYLLABUS, GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, QUEER STUDIES, WOMEN'S WRITING

Podcast Episode: Analysis of Nirbhaya and Beyond – Role of Social Media and ICTs in Gender Activism in India

June 27, 2026June 27, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 2 minutesPip: Welcome to ashlit.in — where the reading is serious and the stakes are real. Today we’re in the territory of digital activism, gender justice, and what happens when a crime becomes a catalyst. Mara: This episode covers Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan’s analysis of Adrija Dey’s – “Nirbhaya and Beyond – Role of Social Media and…

GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - PG

Nirbhaya and Beyond – Role of Social Media and ICTs in Gender Activism in India by Adrija Dey: An Analysis

June 27, 2026June 27, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 7 minutes The Nirbhaya case remains one of the most significant incidents in contemporary India, transforming public discourse on gender justice. The brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in Delhi on 16 December 2012 not only shocked the nation but also triggered widespread protests demanding justice and safer public spaces for women. More…

GENDER STUDIES, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - PG

A Terrible Matriarchy by Easterine Kire : An Analysis

April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan No Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes Introduction The novel A Terrible Matriarchy by Easterine Kire suggests that Nagaland is a male-dominated society. Important decisions are usually made by men. Women are expected to follow traditions and face discrimination. Dielienuo, the protagonist, receives less love and more restrictions compared to her brothers. This reflects the suffering of the girl child. The novel raises…

FICTION, GENDER STUDIES, INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, WOMEN'S WRITING

A Terrible Matriarchy by Easterine Kire: The Novel

April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 2 Comments

Reading Time: 2 minutesIn the novel A Terrible Matriarchy by Easterine Kire, the story is narrated by Dielienuo, who remembers her childhood. At first, she lived with her parents. Later, she is sent to her grandmother Vibano’s house. In the Angami Naga tradition, grandparents often train children in discipline and household work. Dielienuo is the only girl in the…

FICTION, GENDER STUDIES, INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, WOMEN'S WRITING