The Political Economy of Gender: Power, Patriarchy, and Intersectionality in the Global South

This book examines ways in which political ideologies, legal frameworks, religious customs, and cultural institutions are employed by gendered power hierarchies to shape the daily lives of women and other marginalised groups in the Global South. It draws attention to the profoundly established, frequently unseen patriarchal structures that interact with caste, class, race, and religion. The book addresses the fundamental question: How do the political, religious, cultural, and legal systems of power interact to uphold or challenge gender inequality in the Global South? Drawing from critical political theory, cultural studies, and postcolonial feminism, the book is firmly rooted in the intersectionality theoretical framework. It explores the ways in which gendered power marginalises women and gender minorities while also facilitating acts of agency and resistance across a variety of geographical areas, most notably South Asia, Africa, and Oceania. The book is divided into four parts: Gendered Power and Political Participation; Cultural and Institutional Patriarchy; Resistance, Right-Wing Populism, and Gendered Narratives; and, Voice, Violence, and Visibility. Examples of case studies include the role of women in right-wing populist governments, the way gender is reinterpreted in Bhutanese and Dalit literature, the Loya Jirga and other traditional governing systems, and feminist interventions in law and diplomacy. The book argues that comprehending and altering gendered systems requires an intricate, intersectional lens. Scholars, students, and practitioners operating at the nexus of gender, politics, and postcolonial studies will benefit from this transdisciplinary resource.

Hebatallah Adam is a distinguished scholar, academic leader, and editor with over two decades of expertise in international economic development, Global South studies, and development policy. She is currently Professor of Economics at Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India, and Founder and President of the Global South Research Foundation (GSRF). She has held senior academic and leadership positions across institutions in India and the UAE and has taught at Ain Shams University, German University in Cairo, Badr University in Cairo (all in Cairo, Egypt); Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport, Giza Governorate, Egypt.

She is the founder of three influential initiatives — the Jindal Centre for the Global South, the Global South Research Foundation (GSRF), and the Africa Dialogue Forum (ADF) — all dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research, policy engagement, and cross-sector collaboration across the Global South.

Dr. Adam holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Ain Shams University (Egypt), the University of Poitiers (France), and IAE Paris-Sorbonne Business School. Her research interests include international development economics, political economy of development, Global South studies, green economics, gender and development, sustainability, and international trade. She has an extensive publication record in Scopus-indexed journals and with leading international publishers. She is a full member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, an associate member of the African Studies Centre Leiden, and serves on the International Editorial Committee of the Journal of Liberty and International Affairs. She is also an active peer reviewer and a frequent invited speaker at international conferences, academic forums, and policy dialogues.

In recognition of her academic and intellectual contributions, she was awarded the UAE’s 10-year Golden Residence Visa under the “Geniuses of Talent” category. Through her scholarship, institutional leadership, and international collaborations, Prof. Adam continues to contribute to equitable, sustainable, and innovative development pathways across the Global South.