Intimacy and Injury: In the Wake of #Metoo in India and South Africa

India and South Africa are known as the "rape capitals of the world" due to high levels of gender-based and sexual violence. Despite this, both countries have a long history of resisting such violence. Intimacy and Injury: Mapping Shifting Political Fields Around Gender-Based Violence in the Global South explores histories of feminist organizing in both countries and how newer strategies have extended or limited these struggles. The book provides comparative, interdisciplinary, ethnographically rich, and analytically astute reflections on #MeToo, contributing to transnational feminist knowledge and solidarity in and across the global south.

Format: Hardback
Length: 376 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2022
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Both India and South Africa have earned the dubious distinction of being known as the world's "rape capitals," characterized by pervasive levels of gender-based and sexual violence in everyday life. Despite their shared history of resistance against such violence, which is deeply entrenched in patriarchal, settler colonial, and class and caste privilege cultures, both countries have faced significant challenges in addressing this issue.

In the context of the #MeToo movement, this book delves into the histories of feminist organizing in both India and South Africa, exploring how these movements have evolved and shaped the ongoing struggles against gender-based violence. It also sheds light on the emerging strategies and challenges that have emerged in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

"Intimacy and Injury" is a timely and insightful exploration of the evolving political landscape surrounding gender-based violence in the global south. By proposing comparative, interdisciplinary, ethnographically rich, and analytically astute reflections on #MeToo, the book offers fresh and potentially transformative directions to scholarly debates on this critical issue. It contributes to the building of transnational feminist knowledge and solidarity in and across the global south.

The book explores the historical roots of gender-based violence in both India and South Africa, tracing the ways in which colonialism, patriarchy, and social norms have perpetuated this violence. It highlights the resilience and creativity of feminist movements in these countries, despite the many obstacles they have faced.

One of the key themes of the book is the intersectionality of gender-based violence with other forms of oppression, such as race, class, and sexuality. It argues that the #MeToo movement has brought attention to the ways in which these different forms of oppression intersect and reinforce each other, creating a complex web of barriers to justice and equality.

The book also examines the role of media and popular culture in perpetuating gender-based violence and challenging dominant narratives. It highlights the ways in which media representations and cultural norms contribute to the normalization of violence and the silencing of survivors.

In addition to its analysis of feminist organizing, the book also provides insights into the broader social and political contexts that shape gender-based violence. It explores the role of state institutions, law enforcement, and social movements in responding to and combating gender-based violence.

Overall, "Intimacy and Injury" is a valuable contribution to the field of gender studies and social justice. It offers a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing feminist movements in the global south, and provides a roadmap for building stronger and more inclusive movements for gender equality.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526157621