The incident involving Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has sparked a significant debate online. During a lecture, Spivak corrected an audience member's pronunciation of WEB Du Bois, leading to a heated exchange.
Anshul Kumar, the attendee, shared a video of the encounter on social media. Spivak interrupted him multiple times to correct his pronunciation of Du Bois, emphasizing the importance of learning the correct pronunciation of important figures. Kumar reacted angrily, prompting Spivak to rebuke him for being rude.
Kumar's post ignited a debate on social media, with some criticizing Spivak's behavior as arrogant and humiliating, while others defended her actions, arguing that proper pronunciation is important and that Kumar deserved the correction.
Meena Kandasamy, a writer, recounted a similar negative experience with Spivak and argued that correcting pronunciation should be done gracefully and without public humiliation.
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, 82, is a renowned scholar known for her work in literary theory and feminist criticism. Her influential writings challenge patriarchal structures and advocate for giving voice to marginalized groups, particularly women in colonial and postcolonial contexts. She is currently a university professor at Columbia University and has authored several acclaimed works, including 'Can the Subaltern Speak?' and 'In Other Worlds: Essays in Cultural Politics'.
