TORCH invited 2024-25 Global Visiting Professor, Fouzia Farooq, to conduct a seminar titled Locating Silences: The Status and Agency of Women in The Delhi Sultanate, on  Thursday, 28 November. Professor Farooq's talk excavated the complex histories of courtesans, prostitutes, and the sole female monarch of the era, Razia Sultan, offering a nuanced perspective on their status, agency, and contributions to the political and social landscape during the Delhi Sultanate (1500-1700 AD). Her seminar illuminated the roles that these women played, shedding light on their societal positions often ignored and barely spoken about by writers of the time. By examining historical texts, art, and cultural narratives, she explored how these women navigated power structures and resisted or conformed to the limitations imposed upon them.

The invigorating session sparked lively discussion and critical thinking among participants, who reflected on the intersections of gender, power, and historical narratives of gendered subjectivities. Professor Farooq's analysis not only highlighted the silences in historical records but also emphasised the importance of revisiting and reinterpreting these silences to better understand the agency of women in historical contexts. The seminar also featured a showcase of selected Mughal period prints featuring women from the Bodleian's collections, with prompts encouraging the audience to critically engage with the material.