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This work is about situating gender in the field of international relations. Most feminist analyses of the state in international relations center around a patriarchal explanation of the state and the international relations. This book, on the other hand, argues that the ongoing debate on ´women and the state´ within international relations has been simplistically conceptualized that situates the state in a position which essentially goes against the interests of women. The book focuses on the South Asian countries and argues that the relationship between women and the state in this context presents a complex picture. It shows the state as an agency is indispensable for improving the lives of women in South Asian states of India and Bangladesh. Further, the study suggests that women´s relationship with (and their expectations of) the state are mediated by political, social, cultural and economic factors. By providing a distinct perspective to the feminist international relations from the developing world, particularly the South Asian society, the book takes the debate on women and their relationship with the state to a different level.

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Swati Sucharita Nanda has a doctorate degree in International Politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She specialises in gender issues in South Asia.

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