Akiko Kunihiro | Waseda University (original) (raw)
Professor
Address: Japan
less
Uploads
Papers by Akiko Kunihiro
South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal
早稲田大学大学院文学研究科紀要, Mar 15, 2020
Nihon Bunka Jinrui Gakkai Kenkyu Taikai happyo yoshishu, 2009
The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced their social positions to live as devotees of the Hindu Goddess Bahucharā, and those who live in the ordinary, mundane world and have a new-born baby. The hijras have been represented by gender studies as an exemplar of the ‘third gender’ in non-Western society, though no such consistent representation or social niche exists in India. Most hijras are born and raised as male, but they subsequently renounce their traditional familial and societal relations, and present themselves as female through various methods, including transvestism and castration. However, their altered appearance does not grant them the same status as women; instead, they straddle between gender boundaries, existing at the gateway to a sacred sphere where their ambiguity is understood and accepted. Hijras are traditionally invited to assist in important transitional life events such as childbirth. Childbirth is a li...
Bulletin of the Graduate Division of Letters, Arts and Sciences of Waseda University, 65, 2019
The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced their social positions to live as devotees of the Hindu Goddess Bahucharā, and those who live in the ordinary, mundane world and have a new-born baby. The hijras have been represented by gender studies as an exemplar of the 'third gender' in non-Western society, though no such consistent representation or social niche exists in India. Most hijras are born and raised as male, but they subsequently renounce their traditional familial and societal relations, and present themselves as female through various methods, including transvestism and castration. However, their altered appearance does not grant them the same status as women; instead, they straddle between gender boundaries, existing at the gateway to a sacred sphere where their ambiguity is understood and accepted. Hijras are traditionally invited to assist in important transitional life events such as childbirth. Childbirth is a liminal phase that is believed to endanger babies, mothers and their families, and hijras are required to dispel evils and bestow blessings in order to overcome the vulnerability. In this paper, I will explore the meaning of vulnerability attributed to childbirth and anomy of childbirth where hijras and laypeople come to interact.
South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal
早稲田大学大学院文学研究科紀要, Mar 15, 2020
Nihon Bunka Jinrui Gakkai Kenkyu Taikai happyo yoshishu, 2009
The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced their social positions to live as devotees of the Hindu Goddess Bahucharā, and those who live in the ordinary, mundane world and have a new-born baby. The hijras have been represented by gender studies as an exemplar of the ‘third gender’ in non-Western society, though no such consistent representation or social niche exists in India. Most hijras are born and raised as male, but they subsequently renounce their traditional familial and societal relations, and present themselves as female through various methods, including transvestism and castration. However, their altered appearance does not grant them the same status as women; instead, they straddle between gender boundaries, existing at the gateway to a sacred sphere where their ambiguity is understood and accepted. Hijras are traditionally invited to assist in important transitional life events such as childbirth. Childbirth is a li...
Bulletin of the Graduate Division of Letters, Arts and Sciences of Waseda University, 65, 2019
The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced... more The purpose of this paper is to examine the anomic bonds between hijras of Gujarat, who renounced their social positions to live as devotees of the Hindu Goddess Bahucharā, and those who live in the ordinary, mundane world and have a new-born baby. The hijras have been represented by gender studies as an exemplar of the 'third gender' in non-Western society, though no such consistent representation or social niche exists in India. Most hijras are born and raised as male, but they subsequently renounce their traditional familial and societal relations, and present themselves as female through various methods, including transvestism and castration. However, their altered appearance does not grant them the same status as women; instead, they straddle between gender boundaries, existing at the gateway to a sacred sphere where their ambiguity is understood and accepted. Hijras are traditionally invited to assist in important transitional life events such as childbirth. Childbirth is a liminal phase that is believed to endanger babies, mothers and their families, and hijras are required to dispel evils and bestow blessings in order to overcome the vulnerability. In this paper, I will explore the meaning of vulnerability attributed to childbirth and anomy of childbirth where hijras and laypeople come to interact.