'Love jihad' is not about luring women, it's about controlling them: Sameena Dalwai - The Federal
thefederal.com
A law professor argues "love jihad" laws in 11 Indian states are less about protecting women than controlling who they can marry.
Moral PanicSocial Control TheoryConspiracy Theory InstitutionalisationPatriarchy and Legal Paternalism
Theory Briefing
- Professor Sameena Dalwai reframes 'love jihad' not as a seduction conspiracy but as a legal mechanism to restrict women's marriage choices.
- At least 11 Indian states have passed laws anchored in the narrative, turning a fringe conspiracy theory into mainstream legislation.
- Dalwai's argument shifts the lens from the alleged male perpetrator to the state's power over women's autonomy.
- The theory's political rise shows how a contested social claim can be institutionalised through law before it is proven.