WHAT IS PATRIARCHY? (Pg. no. 1-40)
New Delhi: Kali for Women
Kamala Bhasin (1993)
ISBN: 8185107734, 9788185107738. Reviewed By: Aleesha Sooraj.
'What is patriarchy?' caters to the activists in the field of women's development. The book provides an insight into the issue of patriarchy and opens up our eyes into various happenings around us and identifies them, as a result of patriarchy which otherwise we would have taken as a granted. The author of the book, Kamala Bhasin, is an Indian developmental feminist activist, who is actively engaged with issues related to development, education, gender, media and several others. Currently she works with Sangat- a South Asian Feminist Network, as an advisor. Most of her books were written for activists and development workers. The standards of the book is kept at an appealing level, so that it would reach a wide range of readers which she feels is necessary so as to make the general public aware of the system of patriarchy. One distinctive feature of this book is the way major affairs are being addressed in an effective yet unambiguous manner. The aim of the book is to generate an awareness regarding the system of patriarchy.
…show more content…
The book is divided into two parts – (a) Patriarchy and its concerns, and (b) Patriarchy its origin and theories. The first part of the book begins with the question 'what is patriarchy?' and answers a wide range of questions on this issue. The second part, named as the 'origin of patriarchy' deals with various views about patriarchy. Theories regarding patriarchy by different schools are mentioned in a brief but yet in a detailed manner in this