Autobiography as Theory: A Dalit Woman from a Brahmin’s Womb

Abstract

Autobiography is not a mere narrative but an act of survival, resistance, and theorization. Dalit feminism has positioned autobiographies by Dalit women as a strong epistemological intervention. Dalit women lived narratives, therefore, have the potential to expose everyday caste and Brahminical patriarchy that interplay in their lives. In this context, this article looks into my personal narratives as a daughter to an inter-caste couple who has navigated spaces of class privilege, caste marginality, and gendered space. While it's not a closure but a beginning to different scholarships or theories that can emerge from the lived experiences, the article surely exists as a piece of theoretical intervention and reflection on my personal experience. When narratives become theories, we emancipate epistemologically.