Women, Press and Protest in British and French India, 1928-48

Lead Research Organisation: University of Lincoln
Department Name: Lincoln School of Humanities

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
 
Description Comparative trans-national research about the development of gendered citizenship in local communications demonstrates female influence on both economics and ideology - a neglected aspect of Indian history. This kind of in-depth study of the press can tell us a lot about how easy, or difficult it was to get ideas and information disseminated. In the case of The Pioneer, a short-lived liberal editor, F.W. Wilson, aimed to widen The Pioneer's readership to include the Indian middle class by featuring anti - colonial content. Establishment newspapers had to obey a triple imperative of embracing news values, reflecting ideological change and conveying political pressure, but colonial organs such as The Pioneer were affected in business terms by the economic and ideological maelstrom on which they were reporting. Wilson's support for the female cause at a time when the franchise in Britain was being extended, gave 'all things female' a public window but his liberal views made him a virtual outlaw in the colonial system.



Coverage in establishment communications challenged existing colonial assumptions about indigenous women, but reports of their violent protests such as strikes, boycotts and cloth burning simultaneously weakened the economic resolve of British business and administrative authority. The nationalist movement's limited window of publicity also served to demonstrate the organisational capabilities of Congress as a ruling party, signposting the future importance of women's leadership role in post colonial India.



However, The Pioneer gave most publicity to activities by women such as peaceful democratic conferences and other meetings involving discussions that furthered the move towards independence. Nehru articulated the significance of The Pioneer : 'For a while it was a live paper, the most readable in India. It amused or pleased or irritated or angered, but it was not dull. And now that Mr Wilson has left it, it has gone back to its old rut, and lest its hapless readers may be unable to find out what it is or what it stands for, it reminds them daily of "law and order."



In French territories, the development of a significant workers' public voice for the first time represents a move from private to public sphere for disenfranchised Tamil working class women with only limited literacy. Often communications were read out loud during illegal mass outdoor meetings, then they were destroyed - but those records that remain reveal the roots of anti-colonialism. From 1934 onwards the Left in France prioritised anti-fascism in Europe because of the threat to Russia, but this meant that they neglected colonial deprivation.



Indigenous communications centred on matters of social disempowerment and lack of civil, industrial and economic rights. The formation of legal worker organisations for the first time and a new political party provided the context in which writers of advocacy journalism adopted a twofold vertical and lateral strategy to promote their formative anti-colonial ideas. They needed to persuade French politicians (vertically) as well as their own people (laterally) that in Pondicherry campaigns for social and political reform had a wider significance for the future constitution.
Exploitation Route See above The research can be used to help create cultural awareness of heritage by Indian people who want to discover more about their country's recent past and how it was communicated. Equally, non-Indians who are curious about the role played by Indian women in colonial history and how aspirations for freedom and enhanced citizenship were communicated. In this case, activism can be inspirational, with role models from the past.
Sectors Government, Democracy and Justice
URL http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/mht/research-mh/journalism/esrc_women_co.htm
 
Description by the public through international exhibitions
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural,Societal
 
Description Methodological reflections on media and counter-hegemonic protest in India 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Keynote paper to international workshop entitled 'Local Instances, Global Claims: acts of writing and social movements' held as part of Open University conference 'Opening the Boundaries of Citizenship', Milton Keynes 10 Feb. 2012 by ERA 'Oecumene after Orientalism' grant project.

The presentation was useful to the organiser, who is an ECR researching a similar topic herself. The talk therefore helped her and provided sustainability of research findings.

Various international participants engaged in discussion, again to help their own projects.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description Press, protest and freedom movements in British and French India 1928-1948: do subalterns speak ? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Presentation and discussion at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
URL http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/3443/
 
Description The research process : a tale of 2 cities 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Public lecture organised by the art gallery in Australia where the project findings form part of an impact exhibition entitled 'India- Past, Present & Abroad'. The PI talks of 'secret history' in relation to indigenous newspapers, women, the little known history of French India and of the Tamil population and the freedom movement.

Extensive media coverage of the ESRC project in Australia, including newspaper articles, large magazine features, You Tube video (see MQ You Tube page), radio features and interviews.

Written and verbal feedback from people who visited the exhibition and attended the talk.

Written endorsement from the then Indian ambassador in Sydney, who stated the topical importance to ethnic minorites in Sydney (following adverse news coverage of street attacks), and the need for confidence boosting and awareness of heritage by the Indian community, that the talk encouraged.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011
URL http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/mht/research-mh/journalism/esrc_women_co.htm
 
Description Women, press and protest in British and French India, 1928-1947 : problematising colonial theorisations? 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Paper on research findings given at Centre of South Asian Studies, Cambridge University , as part of their 2011-12 seminars programme.

Various PhD students engaged in further discussion with me, in order to help their own research, and enabling me to provide research leadership and inspiration/ideas . this contributes to the sustainability of research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011