In this seminar, Prof. Saraswati Raju from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) interrogates the a priori categorization of space into the public and the private in the context of South Asian cities. Drawing on published and unpublished sources, Prof. Raju problematizes the idea of the 'blurring of spaces' in urban contexts and shows how women’s freedom of mobility and their visibility in essentially masculine public spaces are articulated around notions of the appropriateness of place and time. The permeability of spatial boundaries, she argues, fails to entitle women to greater claims to and control over public spaces. Rather, access remains conditioned by women's positioning within traditionally held norms and gendered stereotyping.
Lunch is served!