Feminist resistance and the role of academia in preventing genocide

Genocide is not a sudden event but a deliberate, gradual process that builds on systemic discrimination, violence, and political repression against targeted groups. India serves as a critical case study within the global rise of neofascism, authoritarianism, and right-wing populism, where Indian Muslim populations have been identified as at risk of genocide by international organisations such as the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (Red Flag) and Genocide Watch (Emergency Alert). Despite these warnings, global public, academic and media attention often fail to fully recognise the genocidal potential inherent in the politics of hate.

The research discussed in this seminar draws on Genocide Watch’s Ten Stages of Genocide, categorising these acts into three overarching frameworks that explicitly target Indian Muslims as a social group. It highlights the interconnected structures of caste supremacy, white supremacy, and neo-colonial capitalist neoliberal patriarchy that place Muslims, Dalits, and other marginalised communities at grave risk. Focusing on grassroots feminist resistance led by Muslim women and students, the presentation examines how critical feminist movements challenge the politics of hate and subvert its power structures.

The research offers significant insights into genocide prevention by emphasising the role of critical grassroots feminist social learning movements and the knowledge and agency of at-risk communities in addressing critical gaps in current prevention strategies. It calls on academics, students, and universities to rethink their roles in recognising early warning signs and advancing meaningful action against the politics of hate.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned: 

This research argues that by amplifying grassroots feminist resistance and incorporating their insights into global prevention frameworks, academia and educational institutions can play a transformative role in averting genocidal violence and fostering a more just society.

This event will be particularly useful for researchers, academics and students.

Related links

• Centre for Education and International Development
• Department of Education, Practice and Society
• Red Flag Alert for Genocide – India, The Lemkin Institute
• India Genocide Warning, Genocide Watch
• Critical feminist resistance to the politics of hate in India, Laila Kadiwal
• Genocide threat still real, UN chief says, commemorating victims worldwide
• The Genocide Education Project: Ten Stages of Genocide
   

Image

Lucia Fox via Adobe Stock.