INTL 2910: Topics in Global Studies: Gender and Sexuality in Asian Religions : Journal Articles

Abstract:
This article tries to map the gender element in Bengali Vaiṣṇavism by focusing on the evolution of the image of Viṣnupriyā, Caitanya’s second wife, as it progressed from the pre-colonial hagiographic tradition to the novel theorization of Gaura–Viṣnupriyā dual worship in the colonial period. It explores the varied ways in which certain segments of educated Bengali intelligentsia actively involved in reassessing Vaiṣṇavism in colonial times disseminated the idea that Viṣnupriyā was not just a symbol of unwavering devotion, of resolute penance, and (after Caitanya’s death) of ideal widowhood, but also deserved to be worshiped by Bengalis along with Caitanya as a divine couple. The article contends that while the ways of biographic imaging of Viṣnupriyā reveals the fissures and frictions within the colonial Vaiṣṇava reform process, it also highlights various continuities with pre-colonial strands of Vaiṣṇava thought.

Abstract:
We quantify the influences of Confucianism on gender inequality in present-day Vietnam. We use the number (or density) of the most successful test takers in the Vietnamese imperial examinations (1075–1919) in a given district as a proxy for mastering the subject of Confucianism. Using an instrumental variable approach based on the historical expansion of Vietnamese territory and distances to the test venues, we consider the effects on labor, health, and educational outcomes for females relative to males. We find that Confucianism has long-lasting negative impacts on gender inequality in all considered aspects. However, the results also suggest that when present-day females pursue more years of schooling, they tend to perform better than males.

Abstract:
The article aims to present a new aspect of “the emergent identities” in Thailand with a correlation between morality and religiosity. The research deals with the perception of 65 Thai male-to-female transgender sex workers who are currently working in sex tourism in Pattaya and Bangkok. This article explores the role religion plays, the linkages between sexualities, and the potential for Thai Theravada Buddhist individuals to understand the way that they cope with life and interpret its meaning among these sexual minorities. Finally, the article shows how Thai marginalized Theravada Buddhists are negotiating their gendered religious spaces in Thailand.