Call for Book Chapters
Courtesans, Consorts, and Outcasts
Prostitutes in patriarchal society serve as mirrors to societal norms, embodying contradictions
of desire, power, marginalization, and agency. While often reduced to stereotypes (seductress,
victim, or social menace), their portrayals reveal deeper truths about gender, class, and
cultural values. This volume seeks to explore the multifaceted representations of prostitutes
across literary traditions—from ancient Sanskrit ganikas and Greek hetaerae to Victorian
"fallen women" and postmodern sex workers—to interrogate how these figures challenge,
reinforce, or transcend societal boundaries. This project fills a critical gap in scholarship by