Sikata Banerjee | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

A particular dark triumph of modern nationalism has been its

ability to persuade citizens to sacrifice their lives for a political vision

forged by emotional ties to a common identity. Both men and women can respond to nationalistic calls to fight that

portray muscular warriors defending their nation against an easily recognizable

enemy. This “us versus them” mentality can be seen in sectarian violence

between Hindus and Muslims, Tamils and Sinhalas, Serbs and Kosovars, and

Protestants and Catholics. In Muscular

Nationalism, Sikata Banerjee takes a comparative look at India

and Ireland and

the relationship among gender, violence, and nationalism. Exploring key texts

and events from 1914-2004, Banerjee explores how women negotiate “muscular

nationalisms” as they seek to be recognized as legitimate nationalists and

equal stakeholders in their national struggles.

Banerjee argues that the gendered manner in which dominant

nationalism has been imagined in most states in the world has had important

implications for women’s lived experiences. Drawing on a specific intersection of gender and nationalism, she

discusses the manner in which women negotiate a political and social terrain

infused with a masculinized dream of nation-building. India and Ireland—two states shaped by the

legacy of British imperialism and forced to deal with modern political/social

conflict centering on competing nationalisms—provide two provocative case

studies that illuminate the complex interaction between gender and nation.