VOICING THE SPATIAL OTHER: PLAYS OF MANJULA PADMANABHAN

The present chapter conceptualizes spatial marginalization where gender is one of the dynamic constituents which become the base of ‘Othering'. There are other constituents which could be the base of othering along with gender such as race, caste, class, language or location etc. These constituents are overlapping, for example, gender discrimination leads to spatial segregation which appears natural separation of spaces but it is rather socio-politically constructed. Othering is a continuous process which makes one ‘outsider', marginalized and not being the participant and locates the person in a disadvantageous position. It is a process as the dominant system enforces the mothering through socialization, hegemonic knowledge system and through various institutions whereas the person or group of people who are at the marginal position struggle continuously to change his/her position of disadvantage by various means of resistance. The victim of gender-spatial othering could be of any gender and not essentially a woman as the position and sociocultural context is the determining factors In the process of marginalization.