Deconstructing and Reframing 'Azad Khayal Aurat': Women's Identity in Indian Higher Education

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: SIG-Critical Examination of Race, Ethnicity, Class and Gender in Education Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

The concept of an Azad Khayal Aurat, which translates to "free-thinking woman," is fraught with complexity. The term carries nuanced implications which are often linked to perceptions of “women as morally ambiguous or promiscuous” (Zubair, 2016, p. 117). The concept of being "modern" versus "traditional" is often synonymous with the idea of an Azad Khayal Aurat. While traits linked to "modern" are commonly applied to women, men are less frequently described in these terms. Instead, a man’s "modernity is typically defined by his attitudes, rather than his roles or behaviors,” highlighting how gendered expectations shape these labels (Chaudhuri, 2012, p. 282). Given this mindset, as women seek higher education, they encounter social regulation and control over their thoughts and values.

Author

• Esra Nizami, University of Massachusetts - Amherst