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Publication Type: Edited Book

EXPLORING VIDYASAGAR'S FEMINIST LEGACY: A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON HIS REVOLUTIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN 19TH CENTURY BENGAL

Book Name: দ্বি-শতবর্ষের আলোকে ঈশ্বরচন্দ্র বিদ্যাসাগর (Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the Light of Two Hundred Years)|
Authors: Dr. Megna Bose
Keywords: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, women‘s education, widow remarriage, gender reform, patriarchy, social justice.
Area/Stream: Language, literature and linguistics / Language / Others
Published in: IIP Series
Volume: 4, Month:July ,Year:2025
Page No.: 120-126
e-ISBN: 978-93-7020-770-7
DOI/Link: https://www.doi.org/10.58532/nbennurICVLSW17

Abstract:

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a prominent 19th-century social reformer in Bengal, revolutionized the discourse on gender through his advocacy for women‘s education, widow remarriage, and the critique of entrenched patriarchal norms. Operating in a colonial context where traditional Indian practices and Western liberal ideas intersected, Vidyasagar put emphasis on social justice and equality of opportunity irrespective of gender. He viewed education as a tool for empowering women to challenge the prevailing societal norms and also to actively contribute to the progress of society. His instrumental role in the passage of the Hindu Widows‘ Remarriage Act (1856) confronted the deeply ingrained cultural stigmas and offered widows a dignified path to social reintegration. Through a sociological lens, Vidyasagar‘s reforms can be understood as efforts to reconstruct gender roles which were socially constructed, rather than biologically fixed. His work challenged the functionalist perspectives that relegated women to domestic spheres and highlighted the transformative potential of education and social reform in redefining gender dynamics. Vidyasagar‘s critique of patriarchal structures was deeply rooted in indigenous values, countering colonial narratives that framed Indian society as inherently regressive. This paper is an attempt to examine and analyze how Vidyasagar‘s legacy continues to influence contemporary discussions on gender equality, offering insights into the social construction of gender and the necessity of systemic reform for achieving justice. The author also tries to find out how Vidyasagar‘s work is a testament to the enduring relevance of education, cultural critique, as well as of indigenous modernity in shaping egalitarian societies.

Cite this: Dr. Megna Bose,"EXPLORING VIDYASAGAR'S FEMINIST LEGACY: A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON HIS REVOLUTIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN 19TH CENTURY BENGAL ", দ্বি-শতবর্ষের আলোকে ঈশ্বরচন্দ্র বিদ্যাসাগর (Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the Light of Two Hundred Years)|,IIP Series, Volume 4, July , 2025, Page no.120-126, e-ISBN: 978-93-7020-770-7, DOI/Link: https://www.doi.org/10.58532/nbennurICVLSW17

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EXPLORING VIDYASAGAR'S FEMINIST LEGACY: A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON HIS REVOLUTIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN 19TH CENTURY BENGAL

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