Colonialism, Nationalism, and Colonialized Women: The Contest in India

Colonial texts condemned the treatment of women in India by identifying a scriptural tradition. The nationalist response was to construct a reformed tradition and defend it on the grounds of modernity. In the process, it created the image of a new woman who was superior to Western women, traditional Indian women and lowclass women. This article argues that this new patriarchy invested women with the dubious honor of representing a distinctively modern national culture.