“I don’t build walls; I build bridges”: Fr.Cedric Prakash
This article is based on excerpts from a talk by Fr. Cedric Prakash at the second KP Sasi Webinar organised by Countercurrrents.org on “Religion and Spirituality in the Age of…
Life/Philosophy
The Choice of a Dignified Death Narrowly Passes in Britain
For any adult diagnosed with six months or less to live in England and Wales, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill allowing them to legally choose the right…
Remembering Gour Kishore Ghosh on his 102nd birthday
Today, 20 June is the 102nd birthday of eminent Bengali writer and journalist Gaur Kishore Ghosh. He was born in a village named Hat Gopalpur in Jasaur district of undivided…
Jesus Christ as a Feminist
The assertion that Jesus Christ can be understood as a feminist is one that initially seems anachronistic, given that the term "feminism" and its associated theories emerged many centuries after…
How Much for One Protein?
Showing my age a bit, a young Chris Rock in a 1988 movie amusingly asks: “How much for one rib?” Given that the crafting of a single protein plays a…
Combat Vegetarianism: In Search of Bread N’ Omelette
If I want bread and omelette for breakfast in a hotel in Hyderabad today, I will have to go to any of the three big railway stations or to the…
Fathers and Sons
“In the mountains of truth, you never climb in vain.”― Friedrich Nietzsche Early June. Dawn brings mist covered mountains and an empty road. The car’s capsule draws us together. I…
72nd Avenue
“It will take time to adjust. So be patient. It’s no less than your rebirth.” Those words of a wise uncle still echo into my memory. Even though they were…
Living In The Past
As we renew our friendships with friends we haven’t met for years, we sometimes have that uneasy feeling that something is not going well with some of them. …
Sree Narayana Guru’s Humanistic Vision: Beyond Religion, Toward Universal Prosperity
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the princely state of Travancore in Kerala, South India, was a society languishing in the throes of a deeply entrenched and brutal…
Zionism is as Corrupt as Christian Nationalism
As the political and religious left continues to attack Christian nationalism, as a progressive Christian, I find myself increasingly uneasy. It is not that I believe Christian nationalism exists, or…
Jean Piaget vs Lev Vygotsky-Communist Criticisms of Genetic Epistemology
Why Communists Should Respect the Work of Jean PiagetSynthesizing biology and philosophyWithout a doubt Jean Piaget is one of the greatest Western psychologists of the 20th century. By training as a…
Paavam in the house of God: Constitutional Irony of Devotion In India
In the Indian Sub continent, god is everywhere except when we try to see him. The god defined as juristic…
Rituals of Capitalism
Rituals of capitalism are crucial to develop capitalist narratives as dominant and only narratives. There is no other alternative to capitalism. Like religions, capitalism also relies heavily on rituals to…
The Quiet Violence of Language
Introduction: Not Just a Comment “We need more electricians and plumbers — and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University.” With this one sentence, Karoline Leavitt, the newly appointed White…
Pride 2025 Washington DC: A Missed Opportunity for Nonviolence
A year ago, billboards and posters across the country announced what was to be a landmark event: World Pride 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of Pride in Washington, D.C. Expectations…
Criminals Intimidate, Society Enables
When someone dares to file a complaint—be it about harassment, corruption, violence, or abuse—they are not simply reporting an incident. They are disrupting a power structure. And in response, those…
Tamil People and the Palmyra tree
Young women in Tamilnadu, in recent times learnt to climb the palmyra (toddy) palm, collect the sap (toddy) and fruit. It was once the job of men only. This is…
Mahbubul Alam: A Person, Journalist, and Editor of Utmost Ethical Integrity
June 6, 2014 was a significant day on many levels – some worldwide, some personal. When I think of a person of unwavering integrity and honesty, the late journalist and…
Myth Exploded: Muslim Women Can Play Leadership Roles
Abstract The assertion that Islam inherently restricts women from leadership roles, particularly in the political sphere, is a pervasive myth that has cast a long shadow over Muslim societies and…
A World Without iPhones?
Recently, I’ve been turning off my iPhone — all the way off! — for 10 to 30 minutes at a time. I leave it somewhere in the house, while I…
Should Our Resistance Enrich Or Transcend Marxism?
Not long ago a Jacobin article (re-posted on ZNet) argued that we need more Marxism. To my eyes the tone was if we aren’t Marxist we aren’t materialist, if we…
The War on Trans People And What It Means in the Age of Trump
This year, Pride Month arrives at an especially dire moment for the LGBTQ+ community. Under the second Trump administration, homophobic vitriol and violence are on the rise. On Elon Musk’s…
Gandhi-Bhagat Singh dialogue
“Bapuji namaste, why are you scratching your head this morning?” “Who is it ?” “Someone you never liked”. “I have never hated anyone”. “Really? Not even those who threw you…
The Quiet Violence of Adjustment
Whether it’s in a crowded auto, a tense marriage or a toxic workplace — “thoda adjust kar lo” is something every Indian has heard, and often, said. It sounds harmless.…
Building Bridges Between Vygotsky and Marx
From Promiscuity to PolyamoryIn the early 1970s I joined a community organization called Radical Psychiatry in Berkeley, California. The purpose of the group was to help people in the community…
A Challenge to Communicators
On Sunday 1 June, the Catholic Church will observe the 59th World Day of Social Communications. The day is significant becuse ‘communications’ is an important and integral dimension of the…
A Response to the Misrepresentation of Honour Killing by Robert Spencer
This article offers an extensive hermeneutical refutation of claims advanced by Robert Spencer, an American anti-Muslim author and blogger, an individual known for his polemical critiques of Islam. Spencer attempts…
The Hidden Bias of Artificial Intelligence: Protecting Rights in a Tech-Driven World
Artificial Intelligence is one of the most emerging technologies in this 21st century, evolving new technologies and innovation is reshaping and transforming our modern society, it is also playing a…
When Reels Get Risqué
In today’s attention economy, where videos are consumed in mere seconds and algorithms decide what we see next, social media platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have become cultural…
Malik Mohammad Khan Marri and the Enduring Flame of Baloch Nationalism
Malik Mohammad Khan Marri was a veteran Baloch nationalist leader and an unwavering figure in the struggle for Balochistan’s autonomy and cultural dignity. His life embodied the collective aspirations of…
Rabindranath Tagore: A Legacy Beyond Borders and Time
Rabindra Jayanti, observed on the 25th of Boishakh in the Bengali calendar, stands as one of the most significant cultural celebrations in Bengali history. Every year, on this day, we…
Caste and Cost of ‘Pure‘ Vegetarian Hotels
What does a ‘ Pure’ vegetarian hotel offer that a vegetarian hotel doesn’t? Twenty-five to thirty-nine percent of Indians self-identify as vegetarians. Benefiting from this substantial consumer base are the…
Rethinking Inclusion Through Language: Linguistic Agency and Inequality in Third Places
Is Your Coworking Space Truly Inclusive—or Just Open? As coworking spaces and collaborative hubs redefine the geography of work, a critical question demands attention: who truly feels at home in…
Too Fast, Too Loud, Too Soon? An Educationist’s Take on the Hidden Impacts of CoComelon on Toddlers’ Minds
If you have parented a toddler in recent years, chances are you have encountered the digital sensation CoComelon. With its bright and vivid colored characters, cheerful melodies, and animated plots,…
From Churulia to the World: Kazi Nazrul’s Legacy of Secular Humanism
Kazi Nazrul Islam, our National Poet, was born on May 25, 1899 (11th Jaistha, 1306 Bangla) at the village of Churulia, under Asansol of the Burdwan district in West Bengal.…
Why ‘Ek Thappad Lagaungi’ Isn’t Just a Joke
Introduction I come from a middle-class Indian family, and like many others in similar socio-economic settings, I have grown up hearing certain familiar phrases in everyday conversations. Phrases like "ek…
Prophet Muhammad as a Champion of Women’s Rights
Abstract:This paper undertakes a hermeneutical analysis of the Quranic message and the Prophetic example it inspired, arguing that Prophet Muhammad can be understood as a pioneering advocate for women's rights…
Displacement: Sharbat Gula and her life in Italy
With my sudden craving for freshly fried Jilapi, I ended up going to the Niralla Sweets (a Pakistani joint) where they make it every day. As the cashier was ringing…
Trapped in the Echo Chamber of Outrage
In today’s digital age, managing emotional outbursts—especially in the wake of tragedy—has become increasingly difficult and unpredictable. It is a gush in sympathy that immediately turns into a whirlpool of…
Free Libraries in Buildings
I suggest having a bookcase in each apartment building, condominium building, office building, school, college, university, place of worship, government building, etc. where people can leave books, magazines, audiobooks on…
The Humour of the Broken and the Chaos of the Unfiltered-The Unfiltered Self Grief Leaves Behind
Grief doesn’t just hurt. It scrapes. It reshapes. It walks into your life like an uninvited storm and decides to stay. It tears down the person you were and leaves…
K.P Sasi Memorial Webinar – “Spirituality and Religion in the Age of Fascism” on May 18th
The second webinar organised by Countercurrents.org in memory of K.P.Sasi, well-known filmmaker and social activist will take place May 18th 6 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). The topic of the…
Tribute to Asghar Ali Engineer on his 10th death anniversary
On 1st or 2nd December 1992, I was in Mumbai for a day or two to speak on the Bhagalpur riots, which had taken place on 24th October 1989. I…
82nd Martyrdom Anniversary [May 14] of Allah Bakhsh
Great betrayal of the heritage of a martyr who sacrificed his life for all-inclusive India It really needs a serious academic investigation that why a powerful mass based anti-two nation…
CREED & Weapons of an EARTH SPIRIT (Peaceful) WARRIOR: a Lyric Essay
Do not kill. Do not commit murder. Or employ traumatic violence to inflict suffering, grief and loss on any other. Let me say it again: Do not kill. Do not…
Mood Disorder or Mood Normalcy? Who IS Mentally Ill, Afterall?
During my last visit with my primary care provider, an internist and a medical doctor, I told her that from time to time I have anxiety attacks to which she…
The City’s Soft Edge: Red-Light Areas Near Transit Points
In many cities, where trains stop and people travel, there is a hidden map — one not shown on tourist brochures or official plans. Just outside train stations, behind busy…
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar – A Global Source of Inspiration and Ideological Stream
Every nation has had great personalities who have given humanity a new direction and played a leading role in its social, economic, educational, cultural, and political development. Among these towering…
‘Instant Help’ to ‘Incessant Labour’: The Invisibility of Domestic Workers in Urban India
Abstract: This paper critically examines the structural invisibility and devaluation of domestic workers in urban India, focusing on how capitalist and patriarchal systems render essential reproductive labor invisible and precarious.…
The Enduring Resonance: Contemporary Relevance of Jesus Christ’s Core Messages in a World of Islamophobia, Hate Campaigns, and Civilizational Conflict
Jesus of Nazareth, a figure whose life and teachings, chronicled primarily in the Gospels of the New Testament, fundamentally shaped the trajectory of Western civilization and continue to exert profound…
Universality, Inclusivity, and Shared Wisdom – An Abrahamic Perspective
The figure of Abraham stands as a foundational patriarch for three major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His unwavering faith, his submission to the Divine Will, and his journey…
Why shouldn’t English be India’s single national language?
This article is based on excerpts from a talk by Prof. Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd at the first KP Sasi Webinar on Politics of Language and Language of Politics held on…
The Common Origin of Mankind: Abrahamic Scriptural Perspective in the Context of Racism and Human Equality
Humanity stands at a paradoxical juncture. We live in an age of unprecedented global interconnectedness, facilitated by rapid technological advancements that bridge geographical and cultural divides. Yet, simultaneously, we witness…
From Hanuman to Kautilya – The Ancient Indian Tradition of Espionage and Statecraft
Espionage in ancient India was not a peripheral concern—it was an intrinsic part of governance, war strategy, and moral-political philosophy. From the mythical tales of Hanuman in the Ramayana to…
End of Pope Francis’ America Tour in 2015
Concluding Part After a 48-hour whirlwind tour in Washington DC, in September, 2015, Pope Francis’ next stop was New York City (NYC). He flew from Andrews’s Air Force Base…
The Authenticity of the Injeel (Gospel) in the Quranic Portrayal
The Quran presents a complex and often debated perspective on the scriptures that preceded it, particularly the Injeel (Gospel) revealed to Jesus. A prevalent notion within later Islamic discourse suggests…
Beyond Kings and Wars: Questioning the History That I Learned in School
“Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” ― Chinua Achebe After reading about some history or social history in my MA…
Pope Francis’ Language and Communication Style: A Religious Leader Who Captivates the Secular World
During my 2021–22 tenure as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Western Sydney University, specializing in Media, Culture, and Society, I researched Pope Francis’ language and wrote a dissertation on the topic.…
Rethinking Religion and Spirituality in the Age of Fascism
It was decades ago, as a teenager, that I first heard Karl Marx’s famous description of religion as the ‘opium of the people’. The impact of that pronouncement on me…
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