Shaping Gender from Women's Perspective- An Anthology on Gender Studies

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Gender Studies is an multidisciplinary Academic Discourse dedicated to analysing & specifying gender identity. This concept is based on the field of Women's Studies, focusing feminism, gender representation and gender politics. For the Scientific Studies of Sexuality we must have to realize the social & cultural concept of masculinity or feminity, or the debate of third sex, rather than the Biological & Genetic understanding of both gender. This book is an honest effort to address the complex pattern of sexuality or gender concept, which is composed of seventeen articles on various topics allied to social as well as Biological Sciences. It will approaches a wide spectrum in the academic practice of Gender Studies from new perspectives.

Prof (Dr) Kakali Dhara Mandal is the Director-in- charge, Centre for Women's Studies and Professor of Folklore, University of Kalyani. She is a renowned social scientist and is always contemplating as a serious scholar in academics. Kakali has done her schooling in Kakdwip of Sunderban area in the District of South 24 Parganas. She received National Scholarship for Merit in Madhyamik; stood first class first in M.A. and received Gold Medal for Faculty First position. She is the President of renowned Folklore Research Organization 'Centre for Folklore Studies and Research', Kolkata. More than 170 of her articles are published in several books and journals. She has edited eight books like Bangla Lokasangeet Kosh (Encyclopedia of Bengali Folk-song), Bangla Lokasanskriti Charchar Itihas, Tomari Houk Joy, Nadiar Itibritto, Living Heritage, Banglar Loksanskriti Bidesir Chokhe, Bahata Parampara. She has written several books like Shabdabijnan O Lokosangeeter Tatwakatha, Folklore Studies: Some New Concepts & Quest, Romanthan, Dhannyo Prasanga etc. She is the expert & speaker in several International Seminars & Conferences in Malayasia, Thailand, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Philippines, UAE, China etc. She has accomplished research work on marginalised women & female folk artisans of West Bengal.

The discipline of Women's Studies in India is not so very old and mainly started since 1977. Even at this present epoch almost nobody in the third world countries are ready to accept the fact that women are half of the universe. We see news of rape, torture, domestic violence against women everyday in newspapers and media and maximum news of these events are not even published. Many countries like Sweden do not support gender discrimination whereas countries like India not even recognize the independence of women. There are protests going on in Iran and we sadly think that we are still in a better environment. Basically, the narrow- mindedness of the society is responsible for this harsh condition of women. Society is not ready to accept the women as independent entities. Another reason is economic dependence. In India the self-sufficient women folk are still in better condition and they get respect in their families and have the opportunity to take crucial decisions. But another true fact is that not only the women but the economically deprived men are also the victims of social negligence and torture even the LGBT community faces the worst. Therefore, besides women studies, gender studies has also emerged as an important discipline. The practice of only science and technology will enrich a limited sphere of the society and the societal structure will be destroyed due to one sided growth. The practice of women's studies should be in high demand in every college and universities of India.

The Centre for Women's Studies was established in the University of Kalyani in 2014 following the guidelines of UGC. Every year the Centre celebrates the International Women's day and organizes Awareness programmes, Training programmes, International and National Level Seminars, Conferences and Workshops.