Enslaved Daughters: Colonialism, Law and Women’s RightsThis is the second edition of a remarkable study of a young woman's defiant stand against Hindu orthodoxy and the colonial legal establishment in the late nineteenth century India. It revolves around a suit for 'restitution of conjugal rights' filed against Rukhmabai, who was married at age eleven and refused to go and live with her husband. This lucid and engaging account captures the dramatic unfolding of the litigation, as well as the huge social and political debate set off by it. The narrative skilfully weaves together the details of the case with larger issues of gender and law, colonialism, culture, reform, and modernity. This edition includes a new Afterword in which the author analyses a vexatious libel case into which the rival party dragged Rukhmabai with a view to breaking her will, even before the original suit has been settled. This book will interest students and scholars of gender studies, family law, feminist perspective of history, legal history, and also general readers. |
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Common terms and phrases
admitted amendment Anglo-Indian appeal argued argument asked Assam authority Bayley Bombay Gazette Bombay High Court British caste Civil claimed cohabitation colonial conjugal rights consent consummation contract custom Dadajee's Dadaji decision defence discretion divorce Dr Sakharam Arjun duty enforced England English law Exposition favour force Geary girl Hindoo Hindu Lady Hindu law Hindu marriage husband Ibid imprisonment India Indian Spectator infant marriages injustice issue jail judges judicial Justice Pinhey Kesari Kirtikar Latham legislation letter libel suit live Macpherson Mahomedan Malabari Marathi Markby married matrimonial matter Mehta's motion Military Gazette moral Narayan Dhurmaji Native Opinion never obligation orthodox Pandita Ramabai Parsi party person Pinhey's judgment Pinhey's verdict plaintiff principles Privy Council proposed Punjab question Raghunath Rao reformist refused reply restitution of conjugal Rukhmabai rule Sargent section 260 social reform society Telang wife wives woman women wrote