10.11.2013 From theoretical to everyday
Language, Gender and Power is an important contribution not only to the field of linguistics, but also social theory, anthropology and public policy
By Yaqoob Khan Bangash
Language has long been recognised as an important part of identity, and its power has variously been seen in the several linguistic province movements in India, and in the Seraiki and Hindko province movements in Pakistan. However, its role in creating gendered notions, gender relations, and hegemony has seldom been the focus of academic research in Pakistan. It is here that Shahid Siddiqui’s recent work on the topic is very timely and useful. In a way, there is nothing ‘new’ in Professor Siddiqui’s book, but then that is its real strength. The book analyses our everyday life to show the ‘interrelationship of language, gender, and power and their impact on one another’ (p. Xvii), and how we are often oblivious of it.
Written in a clear and lucid style, the book is divided into six sections, ranging from the theoretical to the everyday, further exhibiting how pervasive this relationship is. The first part, Language, Representation and Hegemony, is a theoretical and literature review of the subject, and highlights how the non-linguistic aspects of language have often been ignored in South Asia. In fact, in the context of Pakistan, except for Tariq Rahman and Sabiha Mansoor, hardly anyone has written on the relationship of language with power, and almost no one has related it with both gender and power. Using examples from several theorists like Gramsci, Foucault, Chomsky, Siddiqui argues that language plays a ‘powerful role...in [the] construction of social reality and representation of certain “facts” with vested biases’ (p. 24). The example of the ‘War’ Department changing its name to the more acceptable ‘Defence Department’ but with the same purpose, as pointed out by Chomsky, is a case in point.
In the second part, Siddiqui explores the social construction of gender. Using different attributes and categorisations relating to women, Dr Siddiqui shows how women are mostly represented as weak and negative. The tables on page 33 clearly show how such a social construction of the ‘woman’ is undertaken through language. Further, he argues that ‘in contemporary technologically advanced communication systems, the process of stereotyping has gained tremendous speed and impact’ (p. 36). Chapter 5, in this part, highlights how this process of stereotyping begins, in some cases, even before birth and has economic, cultural and familial aspects.
After the theoretical parts, the third section of the books delves into the issue of Language, Gender and Society. It is here that Siddiqui brings his theoretical framework to the South Asian context and assess the issues at hand through an analysis of literature on women and written by women, proverbs and sayings, jokes and matrimonial advertisements. In this section, Siddiqui shows how in South Asian literature the voice of women has consistently been silenced. He notes ‘the social pressure of mainstream society was such that some women had to write with male pseudonyms’ (p. 66), for example Akbari Begum (already a masculine name) published her first story, Guldasta-e-Muhabat in 1903 under the name Abbas Murtaza. He also gives examples of how the premier work on women’s behaviour written by Mualana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Behishti Zevar, further restricted the life and movement of people.
Shahid Siddiqui further notes how proverbs ‘act as a tool to hegemonise groups, especially women, in South Asian society’ (p. 79). Giving a long list of proverbs and their literal and connotative meaning, he argues that ‘being part of folk wisdom, these sayings and proverbs establish and widen the gender gap every time they are used. Being an important source of social knowledge, these stereotypes affect each segment of society...The social knowledge perpetuated by the proverbs is also internalised by women’ (p. 83). These examples from everyday certainly make the reader aware of the pervasiveness and longevity of such stereotypes.
In chapter 9, Professor Siddiqui analyses gender biases in jokes. He notes ‘most such jokes lead to laughter at the cost of hurting the marginalized groups. Stereotypes, in the form of jokes, gain their strength through their repeated use by the masses and by the legitimizing effect of social institutions in general and media in particular. A woman is turned into an object of laughter, as she is judged by the standards and norms set by men’ (p. 86). Here Siddiqui not only gives examples of several jokes from the Western content, but also from Pakistan and the wider South Asian world.
Chapter 10 then shows how gendered matrimonial advertisements are in South Asia. Marriage is a very important social institution in South Asia and finding a partner is one of the most critical life decisions in the life of a South Asian. Here Dr Siddiqui notes how different attributes are important in advertisements for men and women. He notes that for men profession is one of the most important attributes whereas for women ‘looks’ are important (p. 110). Therefore, Siddiqui concludes ‘the study of these ads on the one hand shows how societal stereotypes are reflected in these ads, and on the other hand suggest that such widely circulated articles are in fact further perpetuating the gendered expectations of society’ (p. 114).
In the next part, Shahid Siddiqui analyses how nursery rhymes and fairly tales also reflect gender stereotypes. He notes ‘gender stereotypes are engraved into children’s minds at an early age through nursery rhymes and fairly tales’ (p. 125). In terms of fairy tales for example, ‘the problem is ultimately resolved by a saviour, who usually happens to be a kind, good looking, cooperative, skilful, and brave male character’ (p. 139). This section is good except that most of the examples used are from the West, whereas similar stereotypes are also present in South Asian tales. Some local examples would have made this section even stronger.
Chapters 15-18 deal with the portrayal of women in the media — advertisements, television plays, songs and films. Here Siddiqui argues that such media ‘being persuasive and pervasive in nature, act as potentially powerful texts that impact people of all ages’ (p. 163). The focus on women being ‘slim,’ as an object of display, the ever present ‘beauty’ creams (i.e., whitening creams), and other similar portrayals of women create an idealistic and unrealistic image of women, which most women can only aspire to. Here the author again delves into the vernacular literature and exhibits the ubiquitousness of such notions.
For example, in Ashfaq Ahmed’s series, Aik Mohabar Sau Afsane, and other dramas, women are portrayed in a stereotypical imagine, ‘where male characters occupied the central place and female characters were mere objects of love’ (p. 170). Siddiqui also points out that even most women writers accept this position and take ‘inspiration from the positional superiority of men’ (p. 171).
The final part six of the book is policy relevant in that it calls for a radical rethink in the way we view language. Professor Siddiqui argues that not only should we stop using gendered language, and promote the use of neutral language, the marginalised should challenge the hegemony of dominant groups through the discourse of language. He also focuses on how educational institutions can be used as tool to empower students, especially women in challenging ‘the gendered stereotypes in the shape of sayings, proverbs jokes, and songs etc... ‘ (p. 205).
This book is a very important contribution not only to the field of linguistics, but also social theory, anthropology and public policy. Its multi and inter-disciplinary approach is one of the great strengths of this book. The book covers a lot of ground and throws out a number of questions, so I hope that this work serves the purpose of being the first of many which articulate the very important relationship between language, gender and power in our society.
The writer is the Chairperson of the Department of History, Forman Christian College, and tweets at @BangashYK. He can be contacted at: yaqoob.bangash@gmail.com.
Language, Gender, & Power: The Politics of Representation and Hegemony in South Asia
Author: Shahid Siddiqui
Publisher: Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2013.