Shilash Thapa Tamang
Kathmandu, March 11
Writer and activist Prof. Dr. Sanjeev Uprety gave an insightful talk on Gender and Structural Violence in Nepal during an event organized by the Creative Literary Forum (CLF) at the Central Department of English, Tribhuvan University on Monday. During the event, Prof. Uprety explored the complexities of masculinity and femininity, emphasizing that these are socially constructed gender roles rather than biologically determined identities. He argued that femininity and masculinity are fluid and plural, stating, “If there are four billion men, it means there are four billion masculinities, and the same applies to femininity.”
Prof. Uprety also discussed how internalized patriarchal norms often lead to gender violence. He explained that men frequently suffer from a “sense of lack” and “insecurity” when they feel unable to perform their expected masculine roles, leading to “masculinity repression.” This repression, in turn, manifests in various forms of gender violence.
The talk exclusively focused on how structural violence relates to gender inequality, exploring how social structures privilege one gender while marginalizing the other. In this regard, Prof. Uprety identified three pillars of structural violence—social structures (ranging from government to private institutions), social norms (ideology), and law (both constitutional provisions and their application). He metaphorically likened these three pillars to a triple-headed hydra, explaining that both men and women internalize societal ideologies and often tend to normalize structural violence. He also extended the discussion to how structural violence operates beyond gender, affecting caste, ethnic communities, and other marginalized groups.
A central theme of the discussion was the concept of structural dividend. Prof. Uprety introduced this term to describe the unearned benefits an individual receives from social structures without directly contributing or putting in effort. He elaborated, “Being born into a middle-class family and as a male, I have received certain privileges without having contributed to them. This has placed me in an advantageous position.” In contrast, he explained, “A woman born into a Madhesi-Dalit family in a lower-middle-class household is deprived of every structural privilege that I have had.” He challenged the homogeneous understanding of gender inequality and argued that it must be examined through the lens of structural dividend, as each individual’s experience of inequality is unique. Factors such as caste, gender, class, language, and geography, he argued, are directly linked to the distribution of structural dividends, making the issue multi-layered.
Prof. Uprety also introduced the term structural insensitivity, referring to society’s tendency to deny structural violence and evade responsibility toward marginalized communities. He pointed out that people from dominant caste and class backgrounds often provide only “liberal kicks”—offering sympathy to marginalized groups while hesitating to ensure real justice through an “empathy model.”
Additionally, Prof. Uprety emphasized the need to align theoretical discussions in academia with their application in real life.
The event also featured an engaging Q&A session, where participants posed questions regarding both the topic and Prof. Uprety’s professional experiences.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Prof. Dr. Dhurba Karki, Head of the Central Department of English, who appreciated the students’ initiative in organizing such discussions and shared his delight in listening to Prof. Uprety’s insights.
The event was hosted by CLF coordinator Shilash Thapa Tamang. Faculty members of the Central Department of English, along with students from MA English, Sociology, Political Science, Gender Studies, and M.Ed. English, attended the session.
