Noted feminist economist Devaki Jain talks about writing her memoir, The Brass Notebook (2020), with her long-term friend, Gloria Steinem. They are hosted by Katherine Collins and Elleke Boehmer. Together, they discuss Jain and Steinem’s friendship (which spans many years as fellow activists), telling their mothers’ stories, and women becoming more radical as they get older.

Content warning: brief discussion of sexual assault.

Keywords: feminism, economics, India, motherhood, family history, activism, feminist economics.

Find out more about:

Devaki Jain:

• Book: The Brass Notebook: A Memoir (2020)


• Profile: ‘First Women at Oxford’

Gloria Steinem:

• Website: https://www.gloriasteinem.com/


• Twitter: @GloriaSteinem

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing:

• Website: https://oclw.web.ox.ac.uk/


• Twitter: @OxLifeWriting

If you'd like to be more involved, access exclusive events and attend our online book club, then join our Friends of OCLW scheme. We also offer writing groups and mentoring to those working on their own writing projects.

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing is based at Wolfson College, University of Oxford.

Artwork by Una. Edited by Charles Pidgeon.