Mara Ahmed On the morning of March 11, 2018, I woke up to the incredibly sad news that Saba Mahmood had passed away. Professor of anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley, a scholar of modern Egypt, and the author of stunning books like “Politics of Piety” and more recently “Religious Difference in a Secular …
Caste, Family, Self: Savarna Christian Perspectives
Nidhin Shobhana (This is a short report on a self-perception survey conducted among Young Syrian Christians as a part the author’s MPhil Coursework in Centre for Studies in Discrimination and Exclusion, JNU) What is the value of a perception survey? The Mandal Commission in its ‘socio-educational’ household survey asked the participants the following question— Do …
Secularism and the Maintenance of Caste Hierarchies: Notes from Sikh Studies
Pritam Singh Tinna (This paper was presented at Young Researchers’ Conference, Beyond the Icon: Ambedkar’s Legacy for Our Times held at Ambedkar University Delhi on the 23rd of February 2018) In an opinion article published in the Hindu dated September 3, 2001, Andre Beteille, taking notes from M.N Srinivas writes: “It would be unthinkable …
Hindu festivals and Buddhist converts
Deekshit इसको भरनेवाले जन कोसर्वस्व-समर्पण करना है।अपना तन-मन-धन-जन-जीवनमाता को अर्पण करना है। (Those who fill this form, shall renounce everything; surrender their body, heart, mind, and life to the motherland.) पर यह साधारण पत्र नहीं,आज़ादी का परवाना है।इस पर तुमको अपने तन काकुछ उज्जवल रक्त गिराना है! (But understand, this is not an ordinary …
For a fistful of self-respect: Organised secular and religious ideologies and emancipatory struggles
Round Table India We are happy to announce the first of a series of conversations between participants and stakeholders in emancipatory struggles of Annihilation of Caste and Racial Inequality. Dates: 9/29/17 and 9/30/17. Location: Jackson, Mississippi. As members of marginalized communities involved in historic struggles of Racial equality and Annihilation of Caste, this is an …
Brahminism’s beef with beef
Anuraag Khaund Often while engaging in a debate with my friends from other parts of India especially the North in my campus in Guwahati over the present contemporary contentious issue of dietary preferences, I am mostly met with the following rhetoric- Don’t you have compassion in your heart? Don’t you feel a pain in …
“Their Seats of Power Are Shaking in the Face of Oppressed Unity”
Shabana Ali (This is a rough transcript in English of Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association’s Presidential Candidate for JNUSU elections 2017 Shabana Ali’s almost 33-minute long speech at BAPSA’s pre-election General Body Meeting (GBM) at the Mahi-Mandvi Mess, held on the 2nd of September, 2017.)
Brahminical Genesis of Hindutva and Left Politics in India
Shubhi “The Brahmins form the vanguard of the movement for political reform, and in some cases also of economic reform. But they are not to be found even as camp-followers in the army raised to break down the barricades of Caste. Is there any hope of the Brahmins ever talking up a lead in …
Altering the language of Justice: State violence and Legal battles
Lakshmi KTP In a deepening environment of utter dissatisfactions, depression, and negativity with the present state of affairs in the country with the Hindu state and its Brahmanic rule, it is important to talk about what solidarities should mean. It is very natural for one to stay back and say that there is nothing …