Silent Assertions: Women's Agency in Jammu and Kashmir Politics

Conflict and Wars, Militancy and Violence, Agitations and Demonstrations – Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed it all. Amidst all this, where do the women stand? Vibhuti Ubbott and Rekha Chowdhary delve into the multifaceted role of women in the political landscape of the erstwhile state in their book Silent Assertions: Women’s Agency in Jammu and Kashmir Politics. Spanning from the tumultuous events of 1947 to the present day, this book meticulously examines how women have navigated mainstream/power politics, separatist movements, and agitational politics in the region. It underlines the impact of patriarchal structures on their participation in various public spaces and questions the subordination of gender issues in the face of larger political identity issues. Through meticulous research and compelling narratives, it brings to light how women have silently but forcefully asserted their gender identity during the period of militancy. The book serves as a powerful testament to the indomitable spirit of women in their pursuit of agency and equality.

About the Author

Vibhuti Ubbott

Vibhuti Ubbott is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Higher Education Department, J&K Government. She has also worked as a Research Officer at the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Jammu and Lecturer, Political Science in the School Education Department, J&K Government. Her areas of research interest include Gender, J&K politics and Politics in India. Following her doctoral thesis on ‘Patriarchy, Armed Conflict and Agency of Women in Jammu and Kashmir’, she has published several academic articles on women and politics in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rekha Chowdhary

Rekha Chowdhary, formerly Professor of Political Science at the University of Jammu (1977-2013), has been a Commonwealth Fellow (1997-1998), Fulbright Scholar (2005), ICSSR National Fellow (2013-2015), and Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla (2017-2019). Politics and society of Jammu and Kashmir have been her key areas of research. Her works include Social Diversity and Political Divergence: Identifying the Complexity of Conflict Situation and Format for its Resolution (2023, IIAS), Competitive Politics in the Shadow of Separatism (Sage, 2019), Jammu and Kashmir: Politics of Identity and Separatism (Routledge 2015) and Identity Politics in Jammu and Kashmir.