Articles by Sarbani Bandyopadhyay

What do the attempts to implement a "dress code" for women teachers, students and employees in schools and colleges in West Bengal signify? No political rganisation in the state, whether left or right, has really been able to contest the hegemony of the image of the bhadralok which has its roots in the upper caste and Victorian moralities. Dress is one critical marker of the bhadralok and this is therefore also a fi eld where bhadralok politics is practised. The dominant cultural ethos is most importantly transmitted through educational institutions. So a dress code in educational institutions is not only important but becomes a moral force. The silence within the women's movement on this issue is also noteworthy.