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The 'Women Question' or the question of women's liberation has long occupied the centre-stage in the discussions within both Marxist and Feminist paradigms. There have been innumerable attempts to build a bridge between the two through a middle-road approach by those who call themselves 'Marxist Feminists', 'Socialist Feminists' or 'Proletarian Feminists'. However, the relationship between Marxism and Feminism has remained and continues to remain a rather strained and controversial one. In our next program we plan to discuss and ask that can there be really a "union" between Marxism and Feminism which some have termed ironically as an unhappy one? Also, what does this 'dual-systems' approach - Feminism for dealing with the question of women's oppression and Marxism for dealing with the question of economic/class exploitation - offer in terms of real transformatory and emancipatory politics, not just for a handful of women but for the masses of women? This is not some peripheral issue but an issue of utmost fundamental importance for all those who want to change the current state of affairs vis-a-vis gender oppression in general and women oppression in particular.

To discuss questions like these and many more, ‘In Defense of Reason’ has invited Shivani Kaul, a political activist based in Delhi who is engaged in working-class organizing. Shivani is also President of 'Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union'.