HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT SITUATION OF WOMEN'S
STUDIES IN INDIA    - by Dr. Rameshwari Varma
                    Director for Women's Studies
                    Institute of Development Studies,
                    Mysore University.
   
Women's Studies and Women's Concerns

I.    NATURE OF WOMEN'S STUDIES

    Women's Studies is conceived differently -- committed to Women's perspectives.

    Goals of Women's Studies -- to become aware of the situation of women-- which is a situation of oppression, and -- to use this knowledge to change the situation of women.

    Perspective/Methodology of Women's Studies:

    --What is the origin or base of oppression?
    -- How is it sustained?
    -- How do we change the situation?

    Women's Studies is a critical tool for change.
    Women's Studies is a value-oriented discipline
        (in contrast to claims of other disciplines to objectivity)
   
    Women's Studies is a child aof the feminist movement, and dependent on the women's community.

    Question arises: Is it possible then to get acceptance in the academy, which claims objectivity?

    Women's Studies aims to make women's contributions visible.

    Two aspects -  Impact
              -  Change

    Women's Studies is interdisciplinary -- therefore more holistic.


II.    HOW DID WOMEN'S STUDIES GROW?

    Origin in the feminist movement:

    - in the West:  Post World War II
    - in India : After 1975

    -- International Women's Year and
    -- Publication of Report of the Committee on the Status     of Women (1974).
    -- Only after 1985 Women's Studies became a part of the     University System now accepted - UGC, ICSSR, National     Educational Policy.  All recognise the place of          Women's Studies.
    -- Twenty-three Women Studies centres in Universities.
    -- Programme combines awareness and action with academics     like a Non-governmental Organisation.


III.    DEBATES

    Autonomy versus integration (or infiltration)
    -- Many Women's Studies centres are integrationist.
    -- but only autonomy can shape knowledge in a significant     way.

    Women's Studies and the Women's Movement

    -- There are some tensions between the two
    -- Women's Studies undertakes research which is issue or     movement based.
    -- Movement needs theoretical understanding and research     needs practical base.
    -- Indian Association of Women's Studies -- increasing      participation of activists.

IV.    CONTRIBUTIONS

    -- Value framework
    -- Feminist research methodology
    -- Epistemological questions -- basis of knowledge
    -- Questioning Structures
    -- New Methodologies and new data, example, case studies,     life stories.


V.    CONCERNS/QUESTIONS OF WOMEN'S STUDIES

    1.    Transdisciplinary -- Women's Studies is considered as a 'soft discipline' or perhaps a discipline at all (?)

        Response:  Women's Studies is part of the knowledge revolution, both in content and method.

    2.    Women's Studies is still in its first decade, women scholars have come out of the women's movement, with a commitment to change.

        Response: Now that it is getting established, will it become like any other discipline?  Will new people lose the vision and questioning that comes out of struggle?

    3.    Within the University System, how to function?  How necessary to conform to the structures of the University?

    4.    Funds and possible strings attached to them?

as per notes taken on February 21, 1994 by Ms. Corinne Scott