Imagining the 'Oriental' woman: Australian soldiers in Imperial India

Paper

Gehrmann, Richard. 2008. "Imagining the 'Oriental' woman: Australian soldiers in Imperial India." 9th International Women in Asia Conference: Transition and Interchange. Brisbane, Australia 29 Sep - 01 Oct 2008 St Lucia, Australia.
Paper/Presentation Title

Imagining the 'Oriental' woman: Australian soldiers in Imperial India

Presentation TypePaper
AuthorsGehrmann, Richard
Journal or Proceedings Title9th International Women in Asia Conference: Transition and Interchange: Conference Handbook
Number of Pages2
Year2008
Place of PublicationSt Lucia, Australia
Web Address (URL) of Paperhttp://asaa.asn.au/asaawomensforum/WIA-ConferenceSept2008.pdf
Conference/Event9th International Women in Asia Conference: Transition and Interchange
Event Details
9th International Women in Asia Conference: Transition and Interchange
Event Date
29 Sep 2008 to end of 01 Oct 2008
Event Location
Brisbane, Australia
Abstract

This paper examines the representation of women by Australian soldiers in Imperial India. For many Australians, India is a part of Asia that is often forgotten, despite a long shared history under the auspices of the British Empire. In 1947 neutralist India
gained independence from Great Britain just as Australia began to be increasingly identified with the Western Alliance in the Cold War. While Indian and Australian
history have moved apart since 1947, in the colonial era significant ties existed between these two subordinate components of the British Empire. This is particularly
noteworthy when the military dimensions of the relationship between India and Australia are examined. In the decades prior to Indian independence, several hundred Australian male and female soldiers lived and worked in India either as part of the long term British imperial military establishment, or on short term exchange postings to India. This paper explores the representation of women in India by these soldiers, concluding that unrealistic (and unattainable) 'orientalist imaginings' of the exotic shaped Australian expectations and representations of women at this time.

KeywordsAustralia, India, military in India, representation of women
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020430302. Australian history
440808. International relations
440804. Defence studies
430301. Asian history
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Byline AffiliationsDepartment of Humanities and International Studies
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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