The Power of Gender and the Gender of Power: Explorations in Early Indian History

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This volume examines the ways in which relations of power were conceptualized in early India and shows how gender was envisaged in this conceptualization. Arranged chronologically, the essays are grouped into two sections. The first focuses on a gendered analysis of institutions and processes, ranging from the household to urbanism and renunciatory traditions-areas which are critical for an understanding of early Indian history. The second section highlights strategies of textual analysis. It shows how most socio-religious texts are gendered in overt and covert ways. Produced by and for elite consumption, they were structured by prevailing notions and conceptions of power. Concentrating on the post-Vedic phase, the essays in this collection are richly grounded in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Pali sources, including texts and inscriptions. This collection will be of especial interest to scholars and students of early Indian history and gender studies.