This paper examines the impact of British rule on the system of matriliny in Kerala in South India. The paper contends that British influence led to the decline of matriliny through shifting legal, economic, and social systems away from pre-colonial modes of governance, and through popularizing the patriarchal family structures.
By Ashwati Kartha
Category Archives: Issue 1, Spring 2020
Women’s Political Representation in Lebanon: An Ongoing Struggle Amid a Consociational State and a Patriarchal Society
This paper examines the chasm between Lebanese women’s economic and educational attainments and limited political participation. It argues that the Lebanese political system is structurally inhospitable to women because of sectarian politics, clientelist networks, and patriarchal values. It recommends reform of Lebanon’s electoral law and the introduction of gender quotas.
by Natasha Nazi
‘T’ is for ‘Topak’: How the Taliban are Winning the Propaganda War
In Afghanistan, the Taliban have managed a remarkable resurgence since 2001. This paper uses content analysis of Taliban’s propaganda to argue that the insurgency’s increasingly sophisticated propaganda efforts, including the effective exploitation of dominant Pashtun and Islamic principles, have largely contributed to their resurgence.
By Rija Habib
Nagorno-Karabakh: The Hidden Motives Behind Ethnic Conflict
This paper attempts to explain the persistence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan by using instrumentalist and constructivist theories of ethnic identity. It argues that conflict resolution is impeded by the promotion of ethnic differences by the opposing states and also by international actors, who exploit the region for political and economic gains.
By Dayana Shaybazyan
Curried Appropriation
This paper argues that through cultural appropriation, the British constructed the term “curry,” which led to the creation of their own perception of Indian cuisine. After exploring the origins and the development of the idea of curry, the paper shows how the British reduced Indian cuisine to curry and reshaped Indian identity and culture.
by Nada Nassereddin
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