Dey, A. 2026. The right to the campus- sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in India universities. Gender, Place & Culture. 33 (1), pp. 69-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2025.2567876
| Title | The right to the campus- sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in India universities |
|---|---|
| Type | Journal article |
| Authors | Dey, A. |
| Abstract | University spaces are manifestations of ongoing societal gendered power struggles. Hence, any attempt to transform gendered power relations or introduce new practices related to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) within existing Higher Education (HE) institutions involves creating new gendered rules and practices. Following Mackay, Kenny, and Chappell, this paper argues that to accomplish the above, it is crucial to develop a comprehensive understanding of how and for what purpose university spaces are created, operated, and hence can be transformed Utilising Lefebvre’s spatial triad as a conceptual framework, this research develops a feminist spatial analysis of university campuses in India. Drawing from empirical data collected in the form of forty interviews with students, members of staff, and activists from universities in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Delhi in North India, this paper explores how these campuses are shaped as training grounds to serve the interests of patriarchy, the state and the neoliberal labour market. This creates an environment where gendered surveillance, moral policing and SGBV against women and queer people are not only ingrained in the fabric of the space but also an acceptable norm. Following this, the paper explores how students and staff navigate these university campuses every day and the negotiations they undertake to challenge the normalised SGBV. Finally, inspired by student movements, this paper discusses how patriarchal gender norms and SGBV are being continuously challenged by the emergence of intersectional politics of gender justice. |
| Keywords | Gender based violence |
| sexual harassment | |
| Indian universities | |
| public space | |
| feminist activism | |
| Journal | Gender, Place & Culture |
| Journal citation | 33 (1), pp. 69-88 |
| ISSN | 0966-369X |
| 1360-0524 | |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Publisher's version | License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2025.2567876 |
| Publication dates | |
| Published online | 23 Oct 2025 |
| Published in print | 2026 |
| Funder | BA (British Academy) |