Exploring Constitutional History
Madras’ Women and Constitutional Thought
Our research on Constitutional history also stems from an extremely personal space. As a woman- founded and led organisation , we undertook research (funded by IFMR and the KREA University) that examined the pre-independence women’s liberation movement in Madras and how they contributed to constitutional thought. This study explores the feminist movements that emerged in the Madras Presidency, namely the Women’s India Association and the Dravidian Feminist movement and brought out the differences and overlaps in their call for women’s liberation. The identity of a woman is not a monolith. It is influenced by other factors such as caste, class, education, location, etc – all of which layer onto gender to create complex identities which can be in opposition even under the shared umbrella of women’s rights.
Although this particular project was quite academic in nature, we stayed close to our motto of making research accessible by speaking about our research on a podcast (hosted by Law School Policy Review) about the feminist movements, differences that the women presented and their influence on Madras’ history and the Constitution
Art and The Constitution
Our research on Constitutional history actively looks beyond legal concepts and the Assembly debates to understand the Indian nation. The Indian Constitution is the only one in the world that has artwork in it. Over the course of 3 years, artists from Shantiniketan in West Bengal, led by Nandalal Bose, put together stunning images of Indian history to be included in the Constitution.
The images draw both from myths and ‘Indian’ history and foreshadow the image the Indian Republic wanted to project – the principles it was built on and the policies it would follow. While these images form a certain narrative of linear Indian history, we also explore whether certain histories belonging to certain communities get erased, and what that means for us as a nation.
In collaboration with an art gallery in Mumbai, we explored the art in the Indian Constitution and what that tells us about constitutional values. We used the medium of visual art to tell the story of India and Indian-ness.
Building Accessible Research
Our research traces contemporary public debates to the Constituent Assembly; encourage examination of the relevance of the debates to India today. We also scope out movies, TV shows and books that make Constitutional concepts, concerns and contradictions engaging and interesting.
To promote engagement with the Assembly debates, we utilize innovative forms of media including audio, video, and art to make research accessible and spark deliberations. We primarily utilize social media posts, reels, and podcasts as a platform to showcase our research.