Call it by its true name: declare G...
Modern industrial societies are having a catastrophic...
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World
Donald Trump: The Perfect President of a Perfect Capitalist State (And What That Implies for the Working Class)
When we look beyond his most offensive personal traits, which are in themselves the products and natural reflection of capitalist character structure: narcissism, bullying, tantrumped tweets, adolescent name calling, the dismissal of all those who do not support him, and the denigration and objectification not only of women, but of other human beings in general, we are able to see[Read More…]
India
Land for dalits remains hogwash in Telangana
Beneficiaries given documents by the CM while launching the scheme are yet to receive land Unkept promises during polls is nothing new for the Indian public. But implementation of land reforms which have been at the fulcrum of a promise to socio-economic justice since the end of the Raj refuses to die down. No wonder, the issue found its echo[Read More…]
Globalisation
The psychosocial dimension of power: An emotional analysis of the Davos elite’s discourse on globalization
Understanding for intervening Constructivist and psychoanalytic oriented social research provides evidence that human behaviour is driven by the shared meanings of the subjective social experience (Blumer 1969, Mead 1934, Berger and Luckmann 1966, Moscovici 1961, Matte Blanco 1975, Carli 1993). This perspective can be used to understand the cultural drivers underlying the elite’s political and economic action. The understanding of[Read More…]
Human Rights
70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time for a serious introspection as why after 70 years the wheel of the rights has turned full and returning to haunt us again. The UDHR came into being after much chaos, anarchy, killings and destruction of the second world war when the world was[Read More…]
Imperialism
How Big Brother Grips Americans’ Minds to Support Invasions
On November 29th, Gallup headlined “Democrats Lead Surge in Belief U.S. Should Be World Leader” and reported that “Three-fourths (75%) of Americans today think the United States has ‘a special responsibility to be the leading nation in world affairs,’ up from 66% in 2010. The surge is driven by Democrats, whose belief in this idea has increased from 61% eight[Read More…]
Communal Harmony
Strokes of Saffron Terror
When the fountainhead of the State’s governance, its chief minister overwhelms the need to hunt cow-killers over ‘cop-killers’, it crystallizes a practice in gross violation and rule of mob anarchy. Dressing the incident as an ‘accident’, that too four years after the incident and relegating a heart to heart with the victim policeman’s family after the end of his political[Read More…]
Climate Change
Call it by its true name: declare Global Climate Emergency now
Modern industrial societies are having a catastrophic effect on the planet, accelerating contamination of the air, water, and soil, the destruction of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, mass extinction of species, and runaway climate change. A global economic systemfixated with exponential GDP growth at all costs is now not only damaging the natural systems on which we depend, but pushing them towards irreversible[Read More…]
Environmental Protection
Sad May Be, But Determined
The 10 year old walked bold and fast along the main roads of Thiruvananthapuram. She had no fears as her mother held her hand and she could see her father and grandparents close by. The green leaves of the trees that gave shade on that hot afternoon seemed to be waving at her. For she was part of the SORROWFUL[Read More…]
Counter Solutions
Climate Storytellers Inspire Roadmap to Action
Earlier this year, taking a front row seat at a church in Gary, Indiana, I watched as a young rapper, local food leader, and an arts educator beguiled a standing-room-only audience with a theatrical envisioning of their city in the year 2030. To the side of the stage, jazz legend Billy Foster and his trio added a lively soundtrack to[Read More…]
Resource Crisis
Low Oil Prices: An Indication of Major Problems Ahead?
Many people, including most Peak Oilers, expect that oil prices will rise endlessly. They expect rising oil prices because, over time, companies find it necessary to access more difficult-to-extract oil. Accessing such oil tends to be increasingly expensive because it tends to require the use of greater quantities of resources and more advanced technology. This issue is sometimes referred to[Read More…]
Alternative Energy
Can New Energy Technologies Save the Planet? Ask the Sperm Whale
An oilman, a green techie and a sperm whale walked into a bar. They got to drinking and, inevitably, boasting. The oilman looked at the whale and declared that if it hadn’t been for fossil fuels, all 75 species of whales would have been hunted to extinction for oil. “My industry and its technology saved your large ass.” The greenie[Read More…]
Patriarchy
Sex Work: Let Us Not Make It Work
“We say who, we say when, we say how much…” These are the words of Kit a minor character explaining to Vivienne( played by Julia Roberts) in the movie Pretty Woman about the nuances of their trade. Both of them are prostitutes. The dialogue sounds terrific, very empowering and…absolutely unrealistic. But movies are havens of escapist comfort and as we[Read More…]
Palestine
Israel’s new war of attrition on Jerusalem’s Palestinians
Czech president Milos Zeman offered Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultra-nationalist government a fillip during his visit to Israel last week. He inaugurated a cultural and trade centre, Czech House, just outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls. At the opening, he expressed hope it would serve as a precursor to his country relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. If so, the Czech[Read More…]
Kashmir
The Saga of J & K Bank: When The Killers Turn Saviours
Governor Malik’s decision to classify J&K Bank as a Public sector undertaking (PSU) should be seen in the broader scheme of Indian efforts to strengthen the tools of occupation which aim at controlling economic resources besides political, military & cultural control of the occupied. Before commenting on the specific act of J&K Bank, it needs to be stated that Under[Read More…]
South Asia
Peace is possible between India and Pakistan
People choose various methods of resistance when dealing with ideological issues – from outright belligerence and violence to democratic collectivism. It depends on their perspective, beliefs, or sometimes there is just a selfish agenda. In the long run such methods cannot provide solutions for serious issues which hang on for years, like an incurable ailment which drains the human condition. Let us deal specifically[Read More…]
Annihilate Caste
Book Review: Search for a‘Real Ambedkar’ in the Time of Neoliberal Hindutva
Co-Written by Badre Alam Khan and Sanjay Kumar The Republic of Caste: Thinking equality in time of Neoliberal Hindutva by Anand Teltumbde, Delhi: Navayana, (2018), pp 432, Rs,600. Anand Teltumbde is a prominent public intellectual and civil rights activist. He is presently general secretary of the committee for protection of democratic rights. He is also associated with the All India forum for[Read More…]
Life/Philosophy
Mushirual Hasan Passes Away
Mushirual Hasan was born on 15 August 1949 Bilaspur in Uttar Pradesh. He studied at Aligarh Muslims University, and did his M. A. in1969. Later he went to the Cambridge University for higher education. He was an eminent academic historian of modern India. He passed away early morning (10 December, 2018) at the age of 70 years. Hasan[Read More…]
Arts/Literature
Translating Habba Khatoon, A Praiseworthy Attempt by G R Malik
Most of the readers, who are good at reading the literature written in their mother tongue or in a language they can read and comprehend well, feel it as an unnecessary step taken; and they often pose a question – “Why would someone translate a work of art from source language to any other language?” For such readers, the answer[Read More…]
Book Review
Book Review: Search for a‘Real Ambedkar’ in the Time of Neoliberal Hindutva
Co-Written by Badre Alam Khan and Sanjay Kumar The Republic of Caste: Thinking equality in time of Neoliberal Hindutva by Anand Teltumbde, Delhi: Navayana, (2018), pp 432, Rs,600. Anand Teltumbde is a prominent public intellectual and civil rights activist. He is presently general secretary of the committee for protection of democratic rights. He is also associated with the All India forum for[Read More…]
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