ABSTRACT

Writing about women, their lives and contributions, can be traced back to ancient times in literary and historical sources. With the rise of the social sciences in the latter part of the nineteenth century, gender roles became a subject of research in such fields as anthropology, sociology, and economics. Feminist scholars, many of whom were also active in the women's movement, became increasingly aware of the prevalence of widespread discrimination against women in society and its institutions. The spread of women's studies to other parts of the developing world is largely attributable to the impact of the United Nations Decade for Women, from 1975 to 1985. Research about women was not unknown in India prior to the 1970s, but it was carried out by social scientists primarily in connection with general social reform efforts and the struggle for freedom from colonial rule after 1920. Elsewhere in Asia, women's studies did not arise from women in development concerns.