Eco-casteism and Resistance in Bengali Dalit Women’s Short Fiction

Abstract

In light of the growing urgency surrounding global environmental challenges, ecology has become an essential domain of scholarly engagement. As academic fields expand to include areas such as climate science, environmental humanities and studies centred on flora and fauna, it becomes increasingly important to incorporate voices that have been historically excluded from these conversations. Bengali Dalit literature, particularly the contributions of women writers, offers a distinct perspective on issues of eco-casteism and ecofeminism. This article investigates the writings of prominent Bengali Dalit women authors such as Kalyani Thakur Charal, Manju Bala, Jawa Gowala and Ranu Biswas, whose narratives interlace ecological awareness with the realities of caste- and gender-based marginalization. These works critique mainstream environmental discourses by revealing the intertwined nature of ecological degradation and social inequity. The objective of this study is to foreground these marginalized perspectives and explore how they enhance our understanding of environmental and caste consciousness. In doing so, the article not only draws attention to the under-representation of Bengali Dalit literature within environmental discourse but also endeavours to connect ecological thought with the lived experiences of oppressed communities. This approach seeks to cultivate a more inclusive, intersectional and comprehensive framework for ecological scholarship.