ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I explore the concept of sexual harassment in India, and its application to the context of Indian higher education institution campuses. The conceptualisation of sexual harassment in this context has been crucial in gaining important ground in feminist work for gender equality in universities, but sexual harassment is also used in university governance to regulate women’s freedom. The chapter traces the explosion of interest in and protest about sexual harassment and universities, which arose from the Delhi rape case and the subsequent efforts to understand and improve the situation by the University Grants Commission. The chapter’s foundation lies in the research and production of a broadsheet entitled Sexuality and Harassment: Gender Politics on Campus Today. The broadsheet arose from organic discussions and activism, which in turn led to more formal engagement with issues through preparation for and involvement in the UGC’s campus visits. The chapter outlines the thought process towards and away from the production of the broadsheet and highlights the need for future work that also builds in an activist-research approach to researching the everyday negotiations of gender, caste and class on higher education institution campuses.
