Author: Dilip

I'm a scholar, writer and teacher; and my blog is designed for intellectual exploration. It carries no advertisements and requires no cash subscription

Founders made clear I was political liability for Ashoka University: Pratap Bhanu Mehta

“My public writing in support of a politics that tries to honour constitutional values of freedom and equal respect for all citizens, is perceived to carry risks for the university… It is clear it is time for me to leave Ashoka. A liberal university will need a liberal political and social context to flourish. I… Read More Founders made clear I was political liability for Ashoka University: Pratap Bhanu Mehta

Dilip

Erin Brockovich – Plummeting sperm counts, shrinking penises: toxic chemicals threaten humanity

Swan’s book is staggering in its findings. “In some parts of the world, the average twentysomething woman today is less fertile than her grandmother was at 35,” Swan writes. In addition to that, Swan finds that, on average, a man today will have half of the sperm his grandfather had. “The current state of reproductive… Read More Erin Brockovich – Plummeting sperm counts, shrinking penises: toxic chemicals threaten humanity

Dilip

STATEMENT BY ASHOKA UNIVERSITY FACULTY – March 18, 2021

To, Professor Malabika Sarkar, Vice Chancellor  Mr. Ashish Dhawan, Chairman of Board of Trustees Ashoka University. The resignation of Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta from Ashoka University on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 is a matter of great anguish for the university faculty. It is not just an occasion for sorrow over the departure of a deeply… Read More STATEMENT BY ASHOKA UNIVERSITY FACULTY – March 18, 2021

Dilip

We Can't Treat Pratap Bhanu Mehta's Resignation from Ashoka as a 'Personal Decision'// Arvind Subramanian resigns from Ashoka University in protest

NB: Ideology is a form of silence; the enforcement of ideology is the enforcement of silence. DS   Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s resignation from the Ashoka University must not be treated as a decision taken for personal reasons. It should be a matter of public concern, even though he was teaching at a private university. We need not explain why.… Read More We Can't Treat Pratap Bhanu Mehta's Resignation from Ashoka as a 'Personal Decision'// Arvind Subramanian resigns from Ashoka University in protest

Dilip

Katie Hunt: 'Ammonite' and 5 more works about women overlooked by history

She unearthed fantastic prehistoric creatures that had been lost to the sands of time, and her achievements — overlooked and uncredited while she was alive — also almost remained buried. An unsung pioneer of paleontology, Mary Anning is finally getting some of the recognition she deserves thanks to the tireless work of academics and campaigners.… Read More Katie Hunt: 'Ammonite' and 5 more works about women overlooked by history

Dilip

In Turkey, two Facebook posts are enough to land you in jail. By Ömer Ongun & Umut Özsu

In October 2014, protesters in dozens of cities and towns throughout Turkey came together to pressure the government into providing assistance to the mostly Kurdish inhabitants of Kobanî, a Syrian town directly adjacent to the Turkish border that was then under heavy siege by Islamic State forces. Police and demonstrators clashed violently and repeatedly during these protests.… Read More In Turkey, two Facebook posts are enough to land you in jail. By Ömer Ongun & Umut Özsu

Dilip

London: crowd protests against policing of Sarah Everard vigil / Who's surprised that the suspected killer of Sarah Everard is a policeman?

More than a thousand people streamed into Parliament Square in London on Sunday evening to make their voices heard outside the seat of government following clashes at a vigil for Sarah Everard, with police this time taking a hands-off approach. Calling for the resignation of the Met commissioner, Cressida Dick, and the scrapping of the police, crime, sentencing… Read More London: crowd protests against policing of Sarah Everard vigil / Who's surprised that the suspected killer of Sarah Everard is a policeman?

Dilip

Bharat Bhushan – Scania Scandal: Need to step up to the challenge

The Scania bribery expose threatens to knock the bottom out of the Indian claim of having improved the ease of doing business in the country. Henrik Henriksson, chief executive officer of Scania, has claimed: “We invested heavily, went in with a bang and really wanted to succeed in India, but we underestimated the risks” – suggesting that… Read More Bharat Bhushan – Scania Scandal: Need to step up to the challenge

Dilip