Articles by: Prem Kumar Vijayan

The Limits of Gandhian Non-Violence

The Limits of Gandhian Non-Violence

Written by Prem Kumar Vijayan & Karen Gabriel It is widely acknowledged that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and more specifically, his political method of non-violent struggle, was one of the major reasons that the British were forced to leave India. However, it is also evident that these Gandhian methods have failed on many, many occasions, and are likely to continue to[Read More…]

by 11/04/2021 5 comments Life/Philosophy
Trade Unions, Professional Associations and the Politics of ‘Collective Bargaining’

Trade Unions, Professional Associations and the Politics of ‘Collective Bargaining’

The French thinker Louis Althusser in his famous essay on ideological state apparatuses, includes trade unions (and presumably professional associations too) in his illustrative list of such ideological state apparatuses. Both Trade Unions (TUs) and Professional Associations (PAs) are usually considered politically active bodies that are alert and resistant to any misuse or abuse of state or corporate power. Althusser’s[Read More…]

by 20/03/2021 Comments are Disabled Life/Philosophy
The Ends of Dissent? A Dissenting Understanding of Dissent

The Ends of Dissent? A Dissenting Understanding of Dissent

What is ‘dissent’? The term ‘dissent’ was first used in sixteenth century England, to refer to the opinions of those Christian sects that would not conform to the Church of England (not just Catholics but many Protestant groups too, e.g., the Dissenters, the Puritans). Needless to say, they were quickly criminalised and hunted, leading to the exodus of Puritans to[Read More…]

by 13/03/2021 Comments are Disabled Life/Philosophy
On Intellectual Property

On Intellectual Property

This article seeks to elaborate an argument that I had merely touched upon, at the beginning of another article. I would like to reproduce here the relevant portions of that argument first, to facilitate its elaboration here: …I would like to present my ideological and political stand on intellectual property, which, baldly put, is that it is not, and should[Read More…]

by 30/01/2021 Comments are Disabled India
Patriarchy’s Engines: Toxic Masculinity, Desire, Sexual Violence

Patriarchy’s Engines: Toxic Masculinity, Desire, Sexual Violence

Prefatory Note Before I begin with the issues that are properly the concern of this article, I would like to make some clarifications. Firstly, with this article, I would like to present my ideological and political stand on intellectual property, which, baldly put, is that it is not, and should not be treated as, property. Intellectual production takes place on[Read More…]

by 08/11/2020 Comments are Disabled Patriarchy
Some Clarifications on Some ‘Clarifications’ on the CAA

Some Clarifications on Some ‘Clarifications’ on the CAA

Co-Written by Karen Gabriel and Prem Kumar Vijayan The following is a message that has been doing the rounds on WhatsApp and other social media forums. It is apparently a summary of the arguments made by ‘Harish Salve, well known Lawyer, who successfully argued India’s case, in International Court of Justice’, in defence of the CAB (now CAA), in the[Read More…]

by 26/12/2019 Comments are Disabled India
Made in India to Make in India: The Meanings of Moditva

Made in India to Make in India: The Meanings of Moditva

Co-Written by P,. K. Vijayan, and  Karen Gabriel             The past few months have witnessed the grand spectacle of Narendra Modi emerging as the Prime Minister of India, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finally achieving single-party majority in Parliament. The latter is a development of some consequence, since it means that the BJP’s programs and policies are no longer[Read More…]

by 27/02/2019 1 comment India
Sexism descrimination concept as a struggling woman with the burden of pulling a heavy female 3D illustration symbol falling behind a group of running businessmen or men as an unfair gender bias icon.

Naming And Shaming: Men, Sexual Harassment And “Due Process”

There has been much sound and fury on social media recently, about the posting of a list of alleged sexual harassers in the Indian academe, on Facebook. Much of this has centred around the question of “due process”, and the importance of observing this. Before discussing this, I want to draw attention to another related point of profound importance, that[Read More…]

by 28/10/2017 1 comment Patriarchy
Porf G N Saibaba

Thoughts On A Love-Letter From Prison

As the nation approaches yet another birthday, its seventieth, to be precise, this Independence Day, I am reminded of the letter that a dear friend of mine sent to his wife on her birthday (which also happened to be recently). She was kind enough to share that letter with many of us well-wishers – indeed, with the world, by posting[Read More…]

by 16/08/2017 4 comments Human Rights
UID – The Greatest Trick Yet, By The Greatest Prestidigitator

UID – The Greatest Trick Yet, By The Greatest Prestidigitator

  The Italian Kautalya, Niccolo Machiavelli, is supposed to have said that ‘Politics is the art of deception’ (or maybe it was the Indian Machiavelli, Kautilya, himself). Whoever it was, he has an able student in the Indian prime minister (PM) – a prestidigitator par excellence. Now, a good prestidigitator is one who will distract you with some dazzling spectacle[Read More…]

by 14/07/2017 4 comments India