Social reform, sexuality and the state

This important volume contributes substantively to the current debate on the role of gender studies in the overall context of the development of Indian sociology. In the theory and practice of the women′s movement in India as well as the study of gender-related issues, the role of the state is seen as problematic. The state is vested with the responsibility for engineering social reform; however, it is seen as furthering the sectional interests of social groups based on race, class, caste, and sex. Of particular note are questions relating to gender, and male and female sexuality. The state is expected to protect the special interests of women, but is seen to endorse men′s control over women; it is expected to guarantee individual liberties, but it is seen to define what is "normal" and "deviant" in sexual terms; it is expected to uphold the notion of personal privacy, but it is seen to monitor the sexual practices of the populace. Social Reform, Sexuality, and the State brings together a wide range of perspectives from sociologists, social anthropologists, historians, and legal system scholars who reflect on the processes of policy formation, legislation, and dispute adjudication as applied to the intersection of social reform, sexuality, gender, and the state. This book will be of interest to those concerned with gender studies, sociology, social anthropology, law, history, and social policy.