Dr. Ata Mallick is Assistant Professor; Department of History, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Satabarshiki Mahavidyalaya (affiliated to West Bengal State University, India). Her area of specialization includes Tribal and Gender studies. She has delivered talks at Several International Conferences in India and the University of Cologne, Germany, Harvard University, and The Tunisian World Centre for Studies at Beja. She has contributed some articles in Indian Journals, including Economic and Political Weekly and ANTYAJAA: Indian Journal of Women and Social Change, SAGE Publishing, India. She has contributed articles in edited volumes that included “Routledge Studies in Cultural History, Routledge, UK” and “Miraclaire Publication, USA”. She has completed the Government (Jharkhand, India) Project on “Urbanization of Damin-i-Koh and Paharia Tribe 1540-1837” as a Research Coordinator. Her paper on “Urbanization of Colonial Calcutta and Bengali Women” has been accepted for an edited volume on “Urbanisation in Bengal: Ideas, Institutions and Policies” by Routledge India. Phone: 09433206133 Address: 38A, HRIDAYPUR STATION ROAD SHIBTALA, OPP. KALI MANDIR, KOLKATA 700127
A common trend in urban history in India has been to analyse the policies of the rulers under whi... more A common trend in urban history in India has been to analyse the policies of the rulers under which towns and cities were formed and developed, their art and architecture, demographic changes, the impact of trade and commerce, and overall technological developments which attracted people to come and live in cities or towns for livelihood. Then there are studies which echo the notion of racial segregation of the European and Indian space as “black” and “white” town as the product of colonial construct or the notion of hybridity. However, the history of urbanisation may be discussed through the lenses of ideological, empirical and theoretical changes that together form the new concept of culture and the challenges therein. There are very few works which have presented the competing vision of both the spatial and the ideological aspects of urbanization. The following chapter will discuss the impact of urbanization of colonial Calcutta on Bengali women. The focus will be on the 19th-century time period for this discussion because the growth of urbanisation in Calcutta can be best observed from this period under British colonial rule.
Urbanisation of Calcutta was accompanied by western ideological and empirical guidelines, institutional education, western medical system, and the introduction of new system of administration and law and justice. All these left their mark on gender relations. Urbanisation certainly broadens the scope for women to accept the new changes and challenges. Western medical education broadened the scope for women practitioners also, which was challenged by the patriarchal society. This chapter seeks to discuss how the urbanisation of Calcutta was culturally constructed with the new system of alien rules and regulations which initiated the inner contradictions and biases within the society and how the society, including women, negotiated it. The material structures of colonial Calcutta sometimes failed to recognize some of the basic needs of women. Thus, this chapter will discuss the urbanisation of Calcutta through the lens of ideological and material structure.
ANTYAJAA: Indian Journal of Women and Social Change, 2017
It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed an imperative role in the Santal rebellion ... more It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed an imperative role in the Santal rebellion of 1855. According to the judicial records of the rebellion, almost every Santal woman was a rebel and many of them were arrested for their active involvement in the rebellion. Scholars on Santal rebellion have used such colonial administrative accounts to emphasize the subaltern protest against colonialism. However, a detailed study of administrative accounts also reveals that, after trial, most of the women prisoners were released as they were found innocent. Access to insider voices reveals how Santal women were persecuted under the pretext of witch-hunting by the very orders of Santal leaders. This article would argue how the women became the victims of the unrest and how the Santal rebellion was not spontaneous, and would critically propose how the age-old concept of women’s participation in the Santal rebellion of 1855 needs reconsideration.
This is comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebell... more This is comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebellion (EPW, May 12, 2007)argues that although the witch-hunters declared themselves to be motivated by communitarian religious concerns, personal enmity or material gain were often the motives behind the murder of witches and wizards.
Routledge Studies in Cultural History, Routledge, UK , 2020
This paper argues how the socio religious custom of Marking the body among the Santals was actua... more This paper argues how the socio religious custom of Marking the body among the Santals was actually signified to shape up the tribal solidarity and identity against the British colonial forces and how the custom endorsed the womanhood of a Santal girl during nineteenth and twentieth century India and would critically propose how the custom became irrelevant in few places with the changing scenario of decolonization of India where the degree of marginalization was reduced. The custom of tattooing of the Indian caste societies has also been discussed to understand the long history of Indian tattoo culture. Gender aspect of tribal tattoo culture is the most important part of this study.
This paper attempt to focus on the sex norms of the Santal Society that were constructed in a man... more This paper attempt to focus on the sex norms of the Santal Society that were constructed in a manner to encourage the reproductive system within the sanctioned (by the patriarchy) relation to maintain the Santal integrity and solidarity. Therefore, sex as affectionate biological urge was given less priority and socio-cultural dimension was considered to be the main concern of the society. Thus both the personal sex life and public behavior of sex of womenfolk were controlled by the patriarchal society. Infringement of these norms incurred severe punishment.
ANTYAJAA: Indian journal of Women and Social Change, Sage Publication, 2017
It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed imperative role in the Santal rebellion of ... more It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed imperative role in the Santal rebellion of 1855. According to the judicial records of the rebellion almost every Santal woman was a rebel and many of them were arrested for their active involvement in the rebellion. Scholars on Santal rebellion have used such colonial administrative accounts to emphasize the subaltern protest against colonialism. However, detailed study of administrative accounts also reveals that after trial most of the women prisoners were released as they were found innocent. Moreover, Santal women were persecuted under the pretext of witch hunting by the orders of the leaders. This article would argue how the women became the victims of unrest which has not been discussed so far. Another most important thing is that this article would also argue that Santal rebellion was not spontaneous. Therefore, the age old concept of women participation in the Santal rebellion of 1855 needs reconsideration.
Economic & Political Weekly, VOL, XLIII No 39, September 27- October 3, 2008
The paper is a comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 185... more The paper is a comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebellion (EPW, May 12, 2007)argues that although the witch-hunters declared themselves to be motivated by communitarian religious concerns, personal enmity or material gain were often the motives behind the murder of witches and wizards.
A common trend in urban history in India has been to analyse the policies of the rulers under whi... more A common trend in urban history in India has been to analyse the policies of the rulers under which towns and cities were formed and developed, their art and architecture, demographic changes, the impact of trade and commerce, and overall technological developments which attracted people to come and live in cities or towns for livelihood. Then there are studies which echo the notion of racial segregation of the European and Indian space as “black” and “white” town as the product of colonial construct or the notion of hybridity. However, the history of urbanisation may be discussed through the lenses of ideological, empirical and theoretical changes that together form the new concept of culture and the challenges therein. There are very few works which have presented the competing vision of both the spatial and the ideological aspects of urbanization. The following chapter will discuss the impact of urbanization of colonial Calcutta on Bengali women. The focus will be on the 19th-century time period for this discussion because the growth of urbanisation in Calcutta can be best observed from this period under British colonial rule.
Urbanisation of Calcutta was accompanied by western ideological and empirical guidelines, institutional education, western medical system, and the introduction of new system of administration and law and justice. All these left their mark on gender relations. Urbanisation certainly broadens the scope for women to accept the new changes and challenges. Western medical education broadened the scope for women practitioners also, which was challenged by the patriarchal society. This chapter seeks to discuss how the urbanisation of Calcutta was culturally constructed with the new system of alien rules and regulations which initiated the inner contradictions and biases within the society and how the society, including women, negotiated it. The material structures of colonial Calcutta sometimes failed to recognize some of the basic needs of women. Thus, this chapter will discuss the urbanisation of Calcutta through the lens of ideological and material structure.
ANTYAJAA: Indian Journal of Women and Social Change, 2017
It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed an imperative role in the Santal rebellion ... more It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed an imperative role in the Santal rebellion of 1855. According to the judicial records of the rebellion, almost every Santal woman was a rebel and many of them were arrested for their active involvement in the rebellion. Scholars on Santal rebellion have used such colonial administrative accounts to emphasize the subaltern protest against colonialism. However, a detailed study of administrative accounts also reveals that, after trial, most of the women prisoners were released as they were found innocent. Access to insider voices reveals how Santal women were persecuted under the pretext of witch-hunting by the very orders of Santal leaders. This article would argue how the women became the victims of the unrest and how the Santal rebellion was not spontaneous, and would critically propose how the age-old concept of women’s participation in the Santal rebellion of 1855 needs reconsideration.
This is comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebell... more This is comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebellion (EPW, May 12, 2007)argues that although the witch-hunters declared themselves to be motivated by communitarian religious concerns, personal enmity or material gain were often the motives behind the murder of witches and wizards.
Routledge Studies in Cultural History, Routledge, UK , 2020
This paper argues how the socio religious custom of Marking the body among the Santals was actua... more This paper argues how the socio religious custom of Marking the body among the Santals was actually signified to shape up the tribal solidarity and identity against the British colonial forces and how the custom endorsed the womanhood of a Santal girl during nineteenth and twentieth century India and would critically propose how the custom became irrelevant in few places with the changing scenario of decolonization of India where the degree of marginalization was reduced. The custom of tattooing of the Indian caste societies has also been discussed to understand the long history of Indian tattoo culture. Gender aspect of tribal tattoo culture is the most important part of this study.
This paper attempt to focus on the sex norms of the Santal Society that were constructed in a man... more This paper attempt to focus on the sex norms of the Santal Society that were constructed in a manner to encourage the reproductive system within the sanctioned (by the patriarchy) relation to maintain the Santal integrity and solidarity. Therefore, sex as affectionate biological urge was given less priority and socio-cultural dimension was considered to be the main concern of the society. Thus both the personal sex life and public behavior of sex of womenfolk were controlled by the patriarchal society. Infringement of these norms incurred severe punishment.
ANTYAJAA: Indian journal of Women and Social Change, Sage Publication, 2017
It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed imperative role in the Santal rebellion of ... more It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed imperative role in the Santal rebellion of 1855. According to the judicial records of the rebellion almost every Santal woman was a rebel and many of them were arrested for their active involvement in the rebellion. Scholars on Santal rebellion have used such colonial administrative accounts to emphasize the subaltern protest against colonialism. However, detailed study of administrative accounts also reveals that after trial most of the women prisoners were released as they were found innocent. Moreover, Santal women were persecuted under the pretext of witch hunting by the orders of the leaders. This article would argue how the women became the victims of unrest which has not been discussed so far. Another most important thing is that this article would also argue that Santal rebellion was not spontaneous. Therefore, the age old concept of women participation in the Santal rebellion of 1855 needs reconsideration.
Economic & Political Weekly, VOL, XLIII No 39, September 27- October 3, 2008
The paper is a comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 185... more The paper is a comment on Shashank Sinha’s opinion on witch-hunts in Chhotanagpur during the 1857 rebellion (EPW, May 12, 2007)argues that although the witch-hunters declared themselves to be motivated by communitarian religious concerns, personal enmity or material gain were often the motives behind the murder of witches and wizards.
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Papers by DR. ATA MALLICK
Urbanisation of Calcutta was accompanied by western ideological and empirical guidelines, institutional education, western medical system, and the introduction of new system of administration and law and justice. All these left their mark on gender relations. Urbanisation certainly broadens the scope for women to accept the new changes and challenges. Western medical education broadened the scope for women practitioners also, which was challenged by the patriarchal society. This chapter seeks to discuss how the urbanisation of Calcutta was culturally constructed with the new system of alien rules and regulations which initiated the inner contradictions and biases within the society and how the society, including women, negotiated it. The material structures of colonial Calcutta sometimes failed to recognize some of the basic needs of women. Thus, this chapter will discuss the urbanisation of Calcutta through the lens of ideological and material structure.
Urbanisation of Calcutta was accompanied by western ideological and empirical guidelines, institutional education, western medical system, and the introduction of new system of administration and law and justice. All these left their mark on gender relations. Urbanisation certainly broadens the scope for women to accept the new changes and challenges. Western medical education broadened the scope for women practitioners also, which was challenged by the patriarchal society. This chapter seeks to discuss how the urbanisation of Calcutta was culturally constructed with the new system of alien rules and regulations which initiated the inner contradictions and biases within the society and how the society, including women, negotiated it. The material structures of colonial Calcutta sometimes failed to recognize some of the basic needs of women. Thus, this chapter will discuss the urbanisation of Calcutta through the lens of ideological and material structure.