CONTENTS


Women and Science Women in post-colonial societies need the spirit of Descartes to fight not just Kipling but our own Manu as well. Scientific rationality can serve to generate a critical stance towards the cultural discourses that constitute the self-identities of women living under traditional patriarchal arrangements in most post-colonial societies. WS-2 The concept of androgyny, it has been suggested, offers a means of transcending the duality of gender differences imposed by culture. What androgyny obscures, however, is the social context it is as if individuals can effortlessly balance traits and behaviour in a social vacuum. WS-9 An androcentric world-view sees science as a means to 'dominate' nature, whereas a feminist perspective would see science as 'conversing' with nature. But for the transformation from the unilateral linear mode of communicating to a bilateral symmetric mode, women also must imbibe new identities which allow for dialogue. WS-39 Active campaigners in the women's health movement have found that any questioning of research in the areas of hazardous contraceptives and other reproductive technologies is countered with the charge of being 'anti-science' and 'anti-progress'. Answering this charge effectively has called for a collective reflective process which began by critiquing existing knowledge systems about women's bodies and their health and reproduction to arrive at an outline of a new perspective within which to look at issues of deep concern to women's health, well-being and social identity. WS-35 While the transition to wage labour has brought economic independence and autonomy to women in developing countries, further mechanisation and technical innovation is going to make them increasingly vulnerable to de-skilling and job loss. WS-31 Prompted by the objectives of iniluencing policy so that the quality of women's lives is improved and of documenting the effects of developments in science and technology on women's status, an international group has been launched and is doing notable work in the area. WS-42 Censorship: A Feminist Perspective Drawing a distinction between sexual speech and hate speech helps in the elaboration of a feminist perspective on where the line should be drawn between legitimate and illegitimate speech. Hate speech laws address a harm with which we should be concerned. In stark contrast, the legal regulation of sexual speech is designed to reinforce traditional and highly conservative sexual moralities. WS-15 Inequity in Education The learning environment within the formal education system is a decisive factor in the educational backwardness of dalit communities. And by creating a separate sphere of non-formal education for such groups, the government is abdicating its responsibility to generate equity within the formal school system. 1011 Real-Financial Nexus Some countries in south-east Asia have been able to achieve and maintain high rates of output growth and ajvi.ig and investment, moderate inflation, stable exchange rates and manageable balance of payments even as their economies underwent financial opening up. The special circumstances which made this achievement possible deserve careful attention. 1025 End of Party System?