Abstract

Navigating the tensions between social privilege and systemic marginalization, Catholic nuns in Kerala, India, construct subaltern counterpublics as spaces of resistance and self-articulation. As members of the Syrian Christian community, a “privileged minority” with high-caste status and ties to the powerful Catholic Church, nuns enjoy societal reverence. However, within the patriarchal ecclesiastical hierarchy and broader social structures, they face systemic marginalization rooted in gender dynamics. Positioning these nuns as subalterns, the article explores how their autobiographies serve as platforms for creating subaltern counterpublics, drawing on Nancy Fraser’s theoretical framework. These autobiographical narratives provide spaces for self-expression, allowing nuns to critique the inequalities they face within the Church and society while asserting their agency. By analyzing the autobiographies of Catholic women religious from Kerala, India, the article highlights the ways in which they transform their silences into voices of resistance, negotiating the tensions between privilege and subjugation. This study contributes to an understanding of the complex socioreligious realities of Catholic nuns, illustrating how their writings challenge marginalization.