Devaki Jain, The Journey of a Southern Feminist

The Journey of a Southern Feminist captures economist Devaki Jain’s thoughts and practice on gender, economics, development and feminist politics. Her main argument is that gender relations are the most fundamental power relations as they cut across caste, religion, race and class. Changing gender relations, according to her, would change other relations too (Chapter 1). She observes that ‘Southern’ feminists are confronted with issues—and uphold solutions—which are very different from that of Western or ‘Northern’ feminists. Neither capitalism nor socialism has delivered for poor women, and the related moves to integrate women into capitalist development (WID) and women and socialist development (WAD) have failed (Chapter 2). The author points out that Southern feminists have to evolve their own paradigm of development, based on feminist theory and practice (Chapters 1 and 3). They need to move beyond looking at gender equality in isolation and critique the neo-liberal development paradigm (Chapter 13). This paradigm should focus on economic development models that do not destroy nature while being equitable (Chapter 5). In the context of India, she argues that the needs and interests of aam aurat (common women) should underpin development models and feminist practice. She points out that the present trickledown, export-led growth is not the solution to address the problems facing aam aurat. Instead, she argues for ‘bubble-up’ economic models based on Gandhian thoughts on small-scale, collective production and consumption units which form chains, and struggles by women (like the anti-arrack movement) at macro level for pro–aam aurat legislation and policies (Chapter 12). On the social front, the author advocates Gandhi’s ideas of women coming out of the kitchen and assuming men’s roles, moving away from reproduction, men cooking and both promoting non-violence as ways forward (Chapter 6). She also commends Gandhi’s idea against sexual slavery and women boycotting sexual relationship with men and marriages. Related, she calls for throwing out negative cultural and religious practices, while holding to positive ones, including working towards self-realisation and annihilation of individualism/ego (Chapters 1 and 2). At the political front, the author points out that the Indian example of women’s reservation in local government is both a principle in itself and has led feminist Book Reviews