Discrepant Dislocations - by Mary E John (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Discrepant Dislocations: Feminism, Theory, and Postcolonial Histories explores the evolving intersections of feminist theory with postcolonial histories, offering a critical examination of the challenges that shape feminist thought across different geopolitical contexts. The book spans a range of intellectual and political landscapes, particularly focusing on the tensions between feminist scholarship in the United States and India. Drawing from the insights of third-world intellectuals who have engaged with Western theories like poststructuralism, it interrogates the complexities of the postcolonial as both a term and a concept. Rather than resolving its varied meanings, the book engages with the tensions and discrepancies inherent in these theories, particularly how they manifest within the power dynamics between the West and the postcolony. By focusing on the experiences of Western domination, the author highlights how these intellectual and political forces continue to shape feminist thought globally, even as feminist agendas seek to challenge these very systems of power.

The essays within this collection examine a wide array of issues, from the position of third-world feminists in the West to the challenges of translating feminist theory into diverse cultural contexts. The study critically engages with the rise of feminist theory in the U.S., particularly in the eighties and nineties, and its connection to race, class, and gender debates. These discussions are framed within a historical and genealogical perspective, showing how these terms have been shaped and constrained by Western academic practices. Transitioning from the U.S. to India, the book also explores the national location of feminist movements, examining how postindependence Indian feminism navigates the complexities of global and local power relations. Ultimately, the book calls for a more self-reflexive and international feminist theory that acknowledges the unequal power dynamics between nations and fosters a more accountable and nuanced global feminist discourse.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1996.