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@article{205710,
author = {DHANA SEKHAR and BALA MURUGAN V},
title = {Periyar and Women Empowerment: A Radical Vision for Social Liberation},
journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
year = {2026},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {8205-8209},
issn = {2349-6002},
url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=205710},
abstract = {This research examines the pivotal role of E.V. Ramasamy Periyar and the Self-Respect Movement in advancing women's empowerment in early twentieth-century Tamil Nadu. Departing from both nationalist and reformist frameworks, Periyar articulated a radical critique of patriarchy, religion, and caste as interlocking systems of women's subordination. Through his writings in Kudi Arasu, the Self-Respect Movement's print organ, and his organizational initiatives, Periyar challenged conventional institutions including marriage, chastity norms, and religious orthodoxy. This paper argues that Periyar's approach to women's liberation was distinctive in its emphasis on sexual freedom, its prioritization of gender equality over political independence, and its comprehensive critique of both public and domestic spheres of patriarchal control. Drawing on primary sources including Kudi Arasu editorials and scholarly analyses, this research demonstrates how Periyar's rationalist framework redefined women's education, marriage, and property rights as revolutionary acts of social transformation.},
keywords = {Periyar, Self-Respect Movement, Women Empowerment, Kudi Arasu, Patriarchy, Social Reform, Gender Equality},
month = {June},
}
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