Helen McCulloch

Sex, Gender and Christian Conversion in Nineteenth-century South India

Introduction

Sex, gender and christian conversion in nineteenth-century south india. Explore the impact of sex, gender, and patriarchy on Christian conversion in 19th-century South India. This paper examines Protestant Christianity representation and conversion processes.

Abstract

In this paper I am going to discuss firstly the impact of sex and gender on the representation of Protestant Christianity in India and upon the Indian experience of Christian missions. In the second part of the paper I want to examine the material and social processes of conversion to Christianity in India, and to suggest a number of ways in which sex, gender, and patriarchy in Indian and western cultures had an important impact on conversion.

Review

This paper proposes a compelling and timely examination of Christian conversion in 19th-century South India through the critical lenses of sex and gender. The abstract clearly outlines a two-pronged approach: firstly, exploring the impact of sex and gender on both the representation of Protestant Christianity in India and the Indian experience of missionary efforts; and secondly, delving into the material and social processes of conversion, with a specific focus on how sex, gender, and patriarchy in both Indian and Western cultures shaped these dynamics. This framework promises to move beyond simplistic narratives of religious change, offering a nuanced and historically sensitive analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of the proposed study is a significant strength. By integrating gender studies with religious history and postcolonial analysis, the paper has the potential to uncover deeper layers of meaning within the conversion experience, challenging conventional understandings of agency, identity, and power. The explicit inclusion of "patriarchy in Indian and western cultures" as a key analytical tool is particularly commendable. This suggests a sophisticated analysis that will likely illuminate how pre-existing social structures and evolving gender norms intersected with the missionary project, profoundly influencing individuals' decisions and experiences of conversion and community formation in South India. To fully realize its ambitious scope, the paper would benefit from a more precise articulation of its central thesis, moving beyond a description of its two parts to state its core argument upfront. A clearer conceptual framework defining "sex" and "gender" as analytical categories within the specific historical and cultural contexts of 19th-century South India would also enhance the paper's precision. Furthermore, while the abstract promises an examination of material and social processes, a brief indication of the types of primary sources to be utilized—and how these sources will illuminate both the 'representation' and 'experience' of conversion—would strengthen confidence in the paper's empirical grounding and methodological rigor.

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