he second edition of Language, Gender and Power: The Politics of Representation and Hegemony in South Asia, published by Oxford University Press, represents a major scholarly contribution by linguist and educationist Dr Shahid Siddiqui. Expanded to six parts and twenty-two chapters, the book offers a rigorous and empirically grounded examination of how language shapes power, identity and gender relations across South Asia. Its intellectual breadth, thematic cohesion and the inclusion of new chapters on reform and resistance make this edition particularly timely and impactful in the contemporary socio-political landscape of the region.

Dr Siddiqui’s distinguished academic background further enhances the credibility of the work. With a PhD in applied linguistics from the University of Toronto, an MEd in TESOL from the University of Manchester and post-doctoral experience at the University of Oxford, he has spent over four decades teaching and conducting research in leading academic institutions in Pakistan. His professional trajectory includes senior roles at the Aga Khan University, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology and the National University of Modern Languages. He has also served as vice chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University and currently teaches at the Lahore School of Economics. Siddiqui has authored several books in English and several works in Urdu, Punjabi and other regional languages, demonstrating a sustained commitment to multilingual scholarship and the social relevance of linguistics.

The book challenges the conventional view of language as a neutral conduit of communication, presenting it instead as a deeply political and ideological force. Siddiqui demonstrates how linguistic structures shape social consciousness, influence perceptions of gender and reproduce or contest power hierarchies. He traces the historical roots of language as an instrument of domination, from colonial-era classifications to modern state discourses and reveals how these formations influence everyday practices and institutional norms. Central to his thesis is the notion that language constructs reality: it names, orders and legitimises the social world, thereby playing an active role in shaping ideologies and social behaviour.

One of the book’s major strengths is its ability to move seamlessly across multiple levels of analysis. Grounded in sociolinguistics, critical discourse analysis and feminist theory, and drawing on the work of Saussure, Sapir, Fairclough, Edward Said, Foucault, Gramsci and Chomsky, Siddiqui develops a robust analytical framework showing the intersections of language, ideology and hegemony. He further demonstrates how representational practices in bureaucracy, education, media and popular culture reinforce gendered expectations and normalise power inequalities. This careful navigation between macro-level structures and micro-level discursive practices allows the book to retain coherence despite its wide thematic scope.

The empirical sections of the book are particularly compelling. The author has examined proverbs, idioms, jokes, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, advertisements, news reports and television drama to illustrate how everyday linguistic practices reflect and reproduce gendered meanings. For example, his analysis of matrimonial advertisements reveals how language fixes expectations of female beauty, obedience and docility, while constructing masculinity as rational, authoritative and unproblematic. Educational materials, including poems and stories, are shown to instill these gendered norms from early childhood. Media discourse further entrenches these patterns by depicting women as weak, morally flawed or intellectually inferior. Men are framed as competent and dominant. Together, these examples demonstrate how language operates as both a structural and symbolic vehicle of inequality.

The book challenges the conventional view of language as a neutral conduit of communication, presenting it instead as a deeply political and ideological force. Siddiqui demonstrates how linguistic structures shape social consciousness, influence perceptions of gender, and reproduce or contest power hierarchies.

The second edition introduces a notable addition in Part Six, Gendered Discourses: Reform and Resistance, which includes two new chapters: Need for Language Reform and Resistance through Language. In the first, Dr Siddiqui argues that creating gender-equitable societies requires deliberate linguistic reform. He highlights the importance of gender-neutral terminology, inclusive vocabulary and the elimination of discriminatory expressions that perpetuate stereotypes. Drawing on sociolinguistic activism and contemporary debates about representation, he advocates for the revision of institutional terminologies in education, media and public administration. In the second chapter, the author explores how marginalised groups employ language creatively to challenge dominant narratives. Through counter-discourses, satire, re-appropriated expressions, political awareness, social media and digital activism, these communities resist hegemonic control and articulate alternative identities. These chapters shift the focus from analysis to practical intervention, offering a roadmap for both linguistic and social transformation.

The book’s theoretical rigor and interdisciplinary reach are particularly striking. Siddiqui bridges linguistics with sociology, political science, cultural studies and gender studies while maintaining clarity and accessibility. His arguments are consistently supported by historical, literary and contemporary evidence. His prose combines analytical precision with readability. By demonstrating how everyday linguistic practices shape consciousness and reinforce hegemony, he equips readers with powerful tools to understand broad social and political dynamics in South Asia.

Finally, the contemporary relevance of the book is evident across the region, where debates about gender justice, media representation, educational reform and identity politics are increasingly prominent. Language has become a critical instrument in political activism across South Asia. In Bangladesh, feminist and student movements have employed slogans, poetry and digital linguistic campaigns to mobilise against gender-based violence and authoritarian governance. In Sri Lanka, language politics intersects with ethnic identity, as Tamil and Sinhala discourses shape struggles for rights, memory and reconciliation, with women-led groups playing a decisive role in reframing political narratives. In Nepal, linguistic activism has been central to debates over federalism, indigenous identity and women’s political inclusion, showing how marginalised communities leverage language to challenge entrenched power structures.

In Pakistan, the colonial legacy of English dominance continues to shape educational, administrative and elite communication practices, often overshadowing local and regional languages. However, there is growing awareness, particularly among marginalised ethnic communities, of the need to reclaim native languages as tools for cultural assertion and for contesting discursive hierarchies. Even Punjabi, long marginalised in formal and public discourse, is gaining renewed visibility through literary festivals, creative writing workshops and academic initiatives at elite institutions such as LUMS. These developments reinforce Siddiqui’s central argument that language is constitutive of political power, capable of enabling both domination and resistance.

Overall, Language, Gender and Power: The Politics of Representation and Hegemony in South Asia offers a compelling, rigorous and insightful exploration of how language mediates social power. Dr Shahid Siddiqui’s extensive academic experience, interdisciplinary approach and commitment to social reform make this book a significant contribution to sociolinguistics and gender studies. It deserves wide readership and will remain a key reference for understanding the subtle yet profound ways in which language shapes social life, gender norms, and political power in South Asia.

The writer has a PhD in political science from Heidelberg University and post-doc experience in University of California, Berkeley. He is a DAAD and Fulbright fellow and an associate professor. He can be reached at [email protected]