Assertion

“Kondal”: A Groundbreaking Action Thriller from Kerala’s Fishing Community

Ibin Nayakam  Every social activist in Kerala’s fishing community was talking about a new action movie last month: debutant director Ajith Mampally’s “Kondal”. The director, himself from the fishing community, has made a significant mark with this film, not just for the Malayali mainstream but for a global audience. This week, the movie was released …

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What’s our politics any way?

Kanaga Varathan “My body is my politics, my actions are my movement, my life is my statement,” everyone was astonished when the firebrand activist stamped their authority. “We need to educate people on how important it is to learn from black women and intersectional movement to strengthen anti-caste struggles,” the casual coffee shop conversation suddenly …

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Documented Caste Violence on Barbers and its Invisibility in OBC Politics

Suvendu Barik 1. Caste violence on barbers A default understanding of the social position of barbers in the Shudra hierarchy is of holding them accountable for denying haircuts to Schedule Caste communities. While barbers are considered low-caste, they hold onto various casteist norms and simultaneously are minutely regulated by oppressor castes (and feudal, landed communities) …

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Democratic Directions for Minority Educational Institutions

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Ayaz Ahmad Racial minorities of America fought a valiant battle against educational segregation. They made huge sacrifices in their social, political and legal struggle for the creation of integrated educational spaces. That brave Afro-American struggle for the abolition of ‘the separate but equal doctrine’ is stuff of the legends. The US Supreme Court judgment in …

Assertion

Fragmenting Justice: The Threat of Sub-Categorization to Dalit Unity and Representation

Lokesh Bag The Supreme Court of India, in its review judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, delivered a verdict on August 1, 2024 allowing states the authority to sub-classify reserved category groups, such as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), for the purpose of reservations. This judgment has sparked widespread debate, especially …

Assertion

Question of political ideology: Should we accept or reject Marxism?

Samyak Samudre This essay is primarily written for Ambedkarites who either reject or completely embrace Marxism.  Karl Marx was a social scientist, economist, and philosopher who was born in 1818. His ideology is commonly referred to as communism. His extensive writings demonstrate his outstanding scholarship. Published in 1867, “Das Kapital” [1] is perhaps his most …

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Periyar’s Statue at Srirangam

Lingaraj Azad Madras High Court Judge G. Jayachandran’s statement about the action choreographer Kanal Kannan’s provocative speech case on Periyar statue in front of Perumal temple at Srirangam in Tamilnadu is based on his religious and caste perspective instead of constitutional and existing criminal jurisprudence. Kanal Kannan is an Indian actor, action choreographer and screen …

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Catherine Liu on the US Liberal Class – Part I

Pradnya Garud Catherine Liu, professor of Film and Media Studies at the School of Humanities, University of California, Irvine, talks to Round Table India about the worsening economic segregation and inequalities in contemporary U.S.A – the dominance of the professional managerial class, and the role of the elite liberal politics in the recent U.S. presidential …