✨ Our special reading and watching list for the year-end weekend
✨ Our special reading and watching list for the year-end weekend
Team CEDA brings you a special curation of movies, TV shows, and books that spotlight the intersection of gender and work
Dear All,
As we all head into the last weekend of 2023, we have a special curation for you!
Through the past year, ‘Women & Work’ has reached out to different economists to bring you their recommendations on what you can read/watch if you want to deepen your understanding of issues at the intersection of gender and labour.
As the year goes by, we pick our most favourite ones from this excellent bunch and bring you our special year-end watch and reading recommendations.
Hope you will enjoy these!
🍿📽️ Movies
Neeraj Ghaywan’s short film ‘Geeli Pucchi’ (part of the Ajeeb Daastaans anthology on Netflix), a powerful short film tracing the experiences of two women working at a manufacturing unit from the lens of caste will move you and stun you. Should not be missed. (Recommended by S.K. Ritadhi)
Asha Jaoar Majhe (or Labour of Love) is a film with no dialogues but it says a lot about the significant challenges (for both women and men) in managing professional work and domestic duties while still retaining a reasonable level of life satisfaction. (Recommended by Anisha Sharma)
The list would be incomplete without Satyajit Ray’s classic, Mahanagar. The film portrays the journey of a middle-class homemaker from a conservative family in Kolkata in the early 1960s, who takes up a sales job against the wishes of her father-in-law. As her husband loses his job, she becomes the sole earner in the family. Gradually, she finds her confidence and her voice as she resists workplace discrimination against a female co-worker. (Recommended by Aparajita Dasgupta)
And lastly, we would recommend watching (rather rewatching) the delightful ‘English Vinglish’ (grab some laddoos as you sit through!). The protagonist - Shashi Godbole - works hard (and makes delicious sweets) but her family does not value her work. When she is described as an entrepreneur, she is incredulous as it is the first time someone has accorded her hard work the respect it deserves. (Recommended by Ashwini Deshpande)
📺 🖥️ TV Series
Start with The Queen’s Gambit, a show that follows the life of a young girl as she overcomes her personal demons to become the world champion in chess, a sport which is overwhelmingly dominated by men even now. (Recommended by Suraj Shekhar)
Tune into ‘The Marvellous Mrs Maisel’, a lovely heartwarming series that takes us #BTS of the world of stand-up comedy and illustrates the experiences of a woman trying to make a mark in a space dominated by men. (Recommended by Kanika Mahajan)
If you like some action, then this one's for you - Agent Carter. In the Marvel universe of superheroes, Peggy Carter is a special agent whose calm demeanour is deceptive of her strength. Set in the aftermath of WWII, this action-filled show highlights issues in the workplace that today's women who work in traditionally male jobs can relate to. (Recommended by Srijita Ghosh)
You cannot be recommending TV series and not have a Korean drama on the list! On that note, we recommend Search: WWW, which offers a compelling perspective on women navigating corporate roles. This series delves into the professional journeys of three ambitious women, showcasing their distinct strategies to advance in their careers, and how they collaborate to manage their professional challenges when facing opposition from men. (Recommended by Anuradha Saha)
📚☕ Books
Satkahan by Samaresh Majumdar is a Bengali novel that depicts the desire of women to access education and participate in the workforce (including in occupations which are traditionally male-dominated) in Kolkata during the 1950s. (Recommended by Bipasha Maity)
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a brilliantly written story of a young Nigerian woman and how she deals with race, immigration, personal and cultural issues on her journey to becoming a unique writer. (Recommended by Suraj Shekhar)
A Rebel with a Paintbrush by Anita Vachharajani situates the personal and professional journey of the fearless Amrita Sher-Gil, one of modern India’s first professional women artists. (Recommended by Aparajita Dasgupta)
And lastly, if you haven’t read Dreamers by Snighdha Poonam already, the year-end weekend might just be a good time to do so. It’s a book about the aspirations of young men and women living and working in 21st-century India, as well as the potentially terrible consequences of these aspirations not being met. (Recommended by Anisha Sharma)
Happy reading and watching, folks! And on that note, here’s wishing you all a very Happy New Year 🎉🎊. We will see you on the other side with more books, more shows, more research and more conversations on women and work!
Warmly,
Akshi
On behalf of Team CEDA