Vinay Lal - Moral & Political Thought of Gandhi, Lecture 12 of 19, May 10, 2016

University of California, Los Angeles. We resume our discussion of Gandhi's letter to Lord Irwin and swiftly move to a discussion of Gandhi's relation with women, the question of gender, and Gandh's views of femininity and masculinity. Gandhi's command over the English language and rhetorical strategies. Colonialism brings out the worst in everyone. Four Gandhian critiques: of colonialism, modernity, masculinity, and the nation-state. Gandhi defied the traditional idea that saintly men had to steer themselves clear of the company of women. Gandhi's vow of celibacy. His relations with Kasturba--marriage in adolescence, and 60 years of marriage. Dispute between them over removal of human waste, or over their oldest son, Harilal. Gandhi's relations with Mirabehn (Madeleine Slade) and her description of her first meeting with Gandhi. Platonic relationship between Mirabehn and Gandhi. How did Gandhi enable women to enter into the public sphere? What were the roles assigned to women in the noncooperation movement? Gandhi's relations with Manu and Abha and his experiments in «celbiate sexuality», sleeping naked with young women. Relationship between communalism and the inability to be celibate, in Gandhi's view. Gandhi's views and critique of sexual intercourse, of heteronormative sexuality. Manu's book, «Bapu My Mother». How did Gandhi attempt to feminize the Indian public sphere? Mahdu Kishwar argued that Gandhi's pronouncements on women were rather conventional but...