LAWS OF DESIRE: REGULATING SEXUALITY AND POWER: COURSE

OUTLINE AND PRELIMINARY READING LIST

Ashwini Sukthankar, Arvind Narrain & Siddharth Narrain.

Laws of Desire: Regua!i"g Se#uai!$ a"% Power
The July 2009 judgment o the !elhi "igh #ourt in Naz Foundation v. Union of India
made news around the world. The moment was understood $y many, $oth in %ndia and
elsewhere, as a vindi&ation o the &iti'enshi( rights o les$ian, gay, $ise)ual and
transgender *+,-T. (eo(le, and as a (rin&i(led stand $y the judi&iary against
dis&rimination and intoleran&e. +egal s&holars have also tried to (arse the judgment, and
the underlying advo&a&y, or what these might have to say a$out juris(rudential trends in
a((roa&hing #onstitutional guarantees o (riva&y and dignity, or a$out emerging
strategies in im(a&t litigation.
Thus, there is already mu&h to $e studied and dis&ussed, es(e&ially sin&e, as an advo&a&y
eort, the &hallenge to Se&tion /00 o the %ndian 1enal #ode 2 the sodomy law 2 was at
least a de&ade in the making.
3urther, the story o the &hallenge to Se&tion /00 must $e lo&ated in the &onte)t o
de&ades o advo&a&y and litigation in %ndia around other &riti&al areas o se)uality,
in&luding se)ual violen&e, se)ual harassment, se) work, and o$s&enity. Through this
&ourse we will try to understand the links $etween these &am(aigns and the struggle or
+,-T rights.
%n sum, this &ourse attem(ts to demonstrate the ways in whi&h 4uestions o se)uality
im(li&ate almost every &on&eiva$le domesti& legal and (oli&y ramework, in&luding
(ersonal law, la$or regulation, and &riminal law. %n addition, we ho(e to dis&uss
5domesti&6 regulations o se)uality in the &onte)t o international &am(aigns,
international norms, and &om(arative legal analysis.
The seminar will &onsist o dis&ussions around the &ourse materials. 1arti&i(ants will $e
re4uired to (re(are or ea&h &lass on the $asis o the materials assigned or that &lass, and
(arti&i(ate in dis&ussions. Twenty marks are assigned or &lass (arti&i(ation. All students
will $e re4uired to $e amiliar with the materials assigned or ea&h &lass, and (re(ared or
a dis&ussion $ased on them. Students will $e &alled u(on to lead the dis&ussion in ea&h
&lass. Sot &o(ies o reading material will $e (rovided at the $eginning o the term.
The &ourse will $e evaluated (rimarily through a seminar (a(er to $e (resented at the end
o the &ourse. 1arti&i(ants are re4uired to su$mit a (reliminary outline o their (a(ers
within one month o the $eginning o the &ourse, and dis&uss it with us within one week
o su$mission. The (arti&i(ants will also $e re4uired to make a (resentation o their work
on their (a(ers in the inal ortnight o the &ourse. This (resentation will &arry twenty7
ive marks. The inal (a(er will $e evaluated or ity marks, and ive marks shall $e
given or attendan&e in a&&ordan&e with the 8)am 9ules.
Prei&i"ar$ Rea%i"g Lis!
Module 1 : Debates on Sexuality, Identity, and Feminist Politics
Lecture 1 QLB Intro
Part 1- arind
!art"- P#D$ re!ort- courtin% disaster- Prem &'oud'ary,
Pere( Modi, M)lore re!ort- ambed*ar+!'ule+!eriyar, ,arner-
constitutional morality- -oorani !iece.Frontline/-Baxi)s lecture
How is Sexuality Regulated?- - Extract from Foucault HoS Vol 1, Gayle
Rubin, Nivedita Menon, P!"- ##, !$aru Gu%ta &Hindu 'omen, Mu(lim
Men) "ove *i$ad and !onver(ion(+
Samaj?- Perve,, 'arner, Ryan Goodman
Sexual Subaltern? - !$andra-( .eat$, Foucault- "ive( of #nfamou( Men,
No/($ir/an, 0$airati, Minnavala, Sira(-( ca(e
Law as a Mode of Regulation- 377/Criminal ribes !"t- 1lo2 3 HR'
Re%ort, P!" Re%ort, Meena Rad$a2ri($na
#mergen"e of $ueer Struggle- Extract from Nivedita Menon and 1ditya
Ni4am, &Po/er and !onte(tation+5 , - !arl Styc$in, &!on(titutin4
Sexuality) 6$e Stru44le for Sexual 7rientation in t$e Sout$ 1frican 8ill
of Ri4$t(+
Film- Morality 6V9
Lecture "- Gautam 8$an- 7n Freedom-( 1venue 0 : 0at$erine
Fran2e &Puttin4 Sex 6o 'or2+
Lecture 1- : 6oonen !a(e : Pro% ; %iece
Lecture 2) "a/rence !o$en, &Son4 for Pu($2in+ , 12$il 0atyal, &7n t$e
Eve of Pride) 1re 'e Goin4 t$e Ri4$t 'ay9+, : 12($ay 0$anna9 7r
S$ivananda 0$an- criti<ue of identity %olitic(9
Perve, Mody, &6$e #ntimate State) "ove, Marria4e and t$e "a/+ and
Mic$ael 'arner- 8eyond Gay Marria4e9 - read and =4ure out9
Rut$ Vanita, #ntroduction to &!$ocolate and 7t$er 'ritin4( on Male-
Male .e(ire+5
Module " : Sexuality and Broader Political Stru%%les
"ecture 1) "eela Gand$i)1nticolonial 6$ou4$t and t$e Politic( of
Friend($i%> Foucault #ntervie/(>
"ecture ?- 1rvind Narrain, &@ueer Stru44le in #ndia a( a Politic( of
.emocrati,ation+, Ato be %ubli($edB : 6arunab$ 0$aitan, &Readin4
S/araC into 1rticle 1D) 1 Ne/ .eal for 1ll Minoritie(+AN*S "a/ Revie/B5
"ecture E:F 3 Extract( from P!"-0 Re%ort> Paula 8ac$etta, &'$en
t$e AHinduB Nation Exile( #t( @ueer(+> > Extract( from t$e !am%ai4n for
"e(bian Ri4$t( A!1"ER#B Re%ort on /$y t$e &Fire Prote(t(+ addre((ed
le(bian ri4$t( in (ome citie(, and (eculari(m, freedom of ex%re((ion in
ot$er( and ot$er /ritin4( on Fire !ontrover(y
"ecture D: G-Gue(t "ecture on t$e 0arnata2a Sex 'or2er( Forum-(
en4a4ement /it$ .alit Femini(t( on (exuality i((ue(5
Module 1: 3'e -a( Foundation &ase
Na, Foundation v N!6 .el$i- Cud4ement, %etition(, ar4ument(5
Mart$a Nu((baum brief in S ca(e
Extract( from (ome of t$e a%%eal( in t$e Su%reme !ourt
Human Ri4$t( 'atc$, &6$i( 1lien "e4acy) 6$e 7ri4in( of &Sodomy+
"a/( in 8riti($ !oloniali(m+
1rvind Narrain, &From t$e trial of No/($ir/an to t$e *ud4ment in Na,
Foundation ) 1 !on(titutional *ourney+5 A6o be Publi($edB
Helmut PuH, &Female Sodomy) 6$e 6rial of 0at$erina Het,eldorfer,
A1FIIB+5
1lo2 Gu%ta, &6$e Pre(um%tion of Sodomy) Section EII in #ndia and
8eyond+, A6o be Publi($edB
1lo2 Gu%ta &SEII and t$e .i4nity of #ndian Homo(exual+AEP'B
Ne%al Su%reme !ourt .eci(ion on Sexual 7rientation and Gender
#dentity5
Ryan Goodman, &8eyond t$e Enforcement Princi%le) Sodomy "a/(,
Social Norm( and Social Pano%tic(+5
"a/rence "ian4 J Sidd$art$ Narrain, &Strivin4 for Ma4ic in t$e !ity of
'ord(+ AHimalB
Ro$it S$arma, &6$e Public and !on(titutional Morality !onundrum) 1
!a(e Note on t$e Na, Foundation *ud4ement+5 AN*S Revie/B
M5P5 Sin4$, &.ecriminali(ation of Homo(exuality and t$e !on(titution+
AN*S "a/ Revie/B
Vi2ram Ra4$avan, &Navi4atin4 t$e Note/ort$y and Nebulou( in Na,
Foundation+ AN*S Revie/B
%endra 8axi, H5R5 0$anna Memorial "ecture, &Protection of #ndividual
.i4nity under t$e !on(titution of #ndia+5
Module 1- Sexuality and &iti(ens'i!
Rut$ Vanita %iece on Same Sex Marria4e : Mic$ael 'arner
%amala &aan v 5 Sadi' !li and (rs, 1KKK, 0atni Se((ion( !ourt and
Mad$ya Prade($ Hi4$ !ourt
Mayur Sure($, &Possession is 9/10ths of the Body, (to be Published)
Revathy, Property as selfhood: A Hijra Experience (to be Published)
Sumat$i Murt$y and Sunil Mo$an, &Ret$in2in4 t$e SexLGender 8inary)
Emer4in4 !$allen4e(+
Extract( from Gayatri Reddy, &'it$ Re(%ect to Sex) Ne4otiatin4 HiCra
#dentity in Sout$ #ndia+
P!" A0arnata2aB Re%ort on Human Ri4$t( Violation( a4ain(t t$e
6ran(4ender !ommunity, ?MME5
0o2ila-( aNdavit, Na, Foundation v N!6 .el$i J 7r(5
Module 4 - 5lobal Pers!ecties on Queer Issues
Extract( from *a(bir Puar, &6errori(t 1((embla4e() #nternationali(m in
@ueer 6ime(+5
Ra$ul Rao, &@ueer in t$e 6ime of 6error+, A6o be Publi($edB
6$e Oo4ya2arta Princi%le( on t$e 1%%lication of #nternational Human
Ri4$t( "a/ to Sexual 7rientation and Gender #dentity, ?MMG5
)omen Li*ing +nder Muslim Laws do"uments on ,-M . /ina Siddi'i?
+S!0/ 12rostitution 2ledge3 . Sangram4s ami"us
S*ati S5a5 on t5e anti-immigrant obsessions of anti-tra6"7ing
inter*entions 8in SRS29
Globali(in4 t$e !ulture 'ar() 5S5 !on(ervative(, 1frican !$urc$e( and
Homo%$obia
Module 6- 7bscenity and t'e $e!resentation o8 Sex and
Sexuality
Extract( from t$e !am%ai4n for "e(bian Ri4$t( A!1"ER#B Re%ort on /$y
t$e &Fire Prote(t(+ addre((ed le(bian ri4$t( in (ome citie(, and
(eculari(m, freedom of ex%re((ion in ot$er( and ot$er /ritin4( on Fire
!ontrover(y
Geeta Patel, &Homely Hou(e/ive( Run 1mo2) "e(bian( in Marital
Fixe(+5
Namita Mal$otra J Nitya Va(udevan, &1 .e(tricted 6entative
Ex%loration of Porno4ra%$y+5
S$o$ini G$o($, &"oo2in4 in Horror and Fa(cination) Sex, Violence and
S%ectator($i% in #ndia+5
Ranjit +des5i v State of Ma5aras5tra
%:!: !bbas v +nion of 0ndia
;obby !rt 0nternational < (rs v5 (m 2al Sing5 Haroon < (rs
/ire"torate -eneral= /oordars5an v5 !nand 2atward5an < !nr
Ma'bool ,ida Husain v5 Raj %umar 2andey
Sadanand Menon, &!$a(te 1rt i( Not 1rt+
Peter Goodric$, &6$e "a/( of "ove) "iterature, Hi(tory and t$e
Re4ulation of 0i((in4+5
S$o$ini G$o($, &6$e 6roubled Exi(tence of Sex and Sexuality+
Femini(t( En4a4e /it$ !en(or($i%+
#ndira *ai(in4$, &7b(cenity) 6$e (e and 1bu(e of t$e "a/+ in 8rinda
8o(e AedB, &Gender and !en(or($i%+5
Flavia 14ne(, &#ndecent Re%re(entation of 'omen+ in 8rinda 8o(e AedB,
&Gender and !en(or($i%+5
1rvind Narrain, &'$at 0$u($boo-( 'ord( Really Say+
!$ri(to%$er No/lin, &From 8i4 8rot$er to "ittle Si(terP(+
Film() &6$i( Film i( Not Oet Rated+ and &"ittle Si(ter( v 8i4 8rot$er+
1rt 1K A1B aB ar4ument(, Voice( 14ain(t EII intervention, Na,
Foundation v N!6 .el$i5
Module 9- Debates :round $a!e La;
Edited Ver(ion of u7aram v +nion of 0ndia AMat$ura ca(eB
%al>ana %annabiran= ra>e "5a>ter from /e-#roti"i?ing !ssault boo7?
Nai(ar4i .ave, &7rderin4 *u(tice, Fixin4 .ream() 1n Et$no4ra%$y of
@ueer "e4al 1ctivi(m+5
*yoti Puri, &'$at i( @ueer 1bout Ra%e "a/9+ AOet to be Publi($edB
"a/ !ommi((ion of #ndia, &1I?
nd
Re%ort on Revie/ of Ra%e "a/(+,
?MMM5
N!' .raft "a/ on Sexual 1((ault "a/(
Module <- Sexual =arassment La;
Maitreyi 0ri($nan and Ponni 1ra(u, &Sexual Hara((ment "a/+ AEP'B
Ratna 0a%ur, &Sexca%ade( and t$e "a/,+ ASeminarB
ma !$a2ravarty, &No Safe !am%u(+
.el$i niver(ity Sexual $ara((ment .ayalSin4$!a(e
.el$i niver(ity Sexual Hara((ment 7rdinance
.el$i niver(ity Sexual Hara((ment Policy
%al>ana %annabiran on Sexual 5arassment from /e-#roti"i?ing
!ssault?
@is5a75a v +nion of 0ndia
Film) 8a/andar
Ratna 0a%ur Seminar %iece on Sexual Hara((ment
Module > - I3P: and Sex ,or*
ra6"7ing Con*ention?
,la*ia on ;ar -irls?
S$rimoyee G$o($, &Recoverin4 t$e &8ody+) 6$e Searc$ for 1
!on(titutional *u(tice A6o be Publi($edB
1($/ini Su2t$an2ar &@ueerin4 1%%roac$e( to Sex, Gender and "abor in
#ndia) Examinin4 Pat$( to Sex 'or2er nioni(m+
ri>ti 02! amendment stuA?
Film) 6ale( of t$e Ni4$t Fairie(9
Sout$ 1frican Cud4ement