Caste and Gender in Bollywood and Beyond

Caste and gender are inseparable in how they animate South Asian society and culture from its ancient through postcolonial history. Thus, a combined understanding of caste and gender as co- constitutive logics and the long legacies of feminist, queer, and trans- Dalit-Bahujan resistance provide a crucial starting point for any anthropological, historical, political, economic, or cultural analyses of the region. How do caste and gender orchestrate each other? How do caste and gender relations change over time and across religious, ethnic, or national boundaries? How do they determine citizenship, legal personhood, and access to state infrastructure? How are experiences of caste, gender, and sexual identities communicated, consolidated, or complicated through popular media? In addressing such pivotal questions, this course surveys feminist, queer, and trans- approaches to Caste and Dalit Studies, exploring them through Indian cinema, both Bollywood and independently produced films. With weekly screenings as the basis for in-depth discussions, we will analyze each film alongside a selection of critical texts. The course will be particularly valuable for students whose work engages with the Indian subcontinent, South Asia, or its global diasporas, especially through comparative, transnational, or interdisciplinary approaches.