Places and forms of Power

Places and forms of power/ Idea of progress

Intro :

Places are a site, a position or the state of being located. Power is defined to a person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others and the ability or official capacity to exercise control, authority (The State, the government, and political organization).

The idea of progress is a development towards a better, more complete, or more modern condition. So, the notion is connoted positively.

To illustrate this notion, i’m going to talk about the women’s status in India. India is the largest democracy in the world. When it became independent in 1947, India women are granted equality under the constitution but this legal protection wasn’t sufficient in this male-dominated country. Indeed, women are still largely discriminated against in modern India. Thus we may wonder to what extent Indian women have to challenge patriarchal traditions to make their upliftment in society possible.

In a first part, I’m going to talk about the discrimination against women, next a culture of complicity around violence towards women and to finish empowerment of women towards emancipation.

I/ Discrimination against women

        Discrimination against women can start in the wamb like in the document entitled « Another girl » about female infanticide. The child in the text says « Please » in order to not kill. Moreover,

the video intitled « The Plight of women in India » teachs us that women are raped, kill and men are not arrested by the police. So, India is a dangerous place to be a woman.

        Discrimination is also in the household. Once married, many women are subjected to domestic violence. Many Indian men force their partner to have sex. In India, there is the dowry tradition : the girl’s family is expected to give a dowry when their daughter gets married. If the dowry is considered as not sufficient, they may even be burnt alive or killed.

        Moreover, women are discriminated against in the society. Women are treated as second-class citizens : Girls are valued less than boys in education, in health or in chores. The video « Violence against women in India tells us this situation in India « Gender inequality » Thus, women are not free to choose their husband, like we can see in the text « First meeting ». In this text, a young girl is forced to be presented to a husband whom she does not know. So, as a result, women are outnumbered in India.

TR : Thus, we have seen that Indian women are treated as lesser class citizens to any male. India is a place where women are frequently brutally raped and assaulted without intervention from the police.

II/ A culture of complicity around violence towards women

In India, there is a complicity of the family and relatives trapped in tradition. For example, in the texts « Antoher girl », there is female infanticide. Jasu urges Kavita to get rid of the baby. Furthermore, in the text « First marriage » there is a forced marriage. The uncle convinces the narrator to meet the prospective groom.

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