Perplexity

An untidy history of AI across four books Reviewed Here by Trevor Quirk Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks From the Stone Age to AI: Yuval Noah Harari The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI: Ray Kurzweil Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit: Henry A. Kissinger, Craig Mundie, and Eric… Read More Perplexity

The Politics of Fear

As a Presidential candidate, Donald Trump made his world view plain: there was “us” and there was “them.” Once he was in the White House, the fear factor would prevail. By David Remnick The young Donald Trump was the Nelson Muntz of Jamaica Estates. (Or was he its Draco Malfoy? Scholars will debate such questions for… Read More The Politics of Fear

Prof. Madhavan Palat on Genocide: Barbarism in Civilization in the Twentieth Century. September 14, 2025

Dear Friends and Colleagues, The Society for the Study of Archives cordially invites you to the launch of its journal ‘Reading the Archive’, a graduate journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The event will feature an inaugural lecture by Prof. Madhavan K. Palat on Genocide: Barbarism in Civilization in the Twentieth Century The lecture will be chaired by Prof. Salil Misra, Visiting Faculty, BML Munjal University,… Read More Prof. Madhavan Palat on Genocide: Barbarism in Civilization in the Twentieth Century. September 14, 2025

Charlie Kirk’s Death Is a Catastrophe for Higher Ed / Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’

Things were already bad. They’re about to get worse Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’ By David Austin Walsh September 11, 2025 The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday was both morally repugnant and an absolute political catastrophe. Kirk was one of the most influential and… Read More Charlie Kirk’s Death Is a Catastrophe for Higher Ed / Charlie Kirk in his own words: ‘prowling Blacks’ and ‘the great replacement strategy’

Nepal, France, America: democracy seems overtaken once more

There is one recurring theme: Young people feel robbed of their future Pratap Bhanu Mehta NB: A timely and typically thought-provoking essay by this scholar. I add some observations below 1/ The crisis of the 1960s and 1970s culminated in the Trilateral Commission’s 1975 report on The Crisis of Democracy, authored by Samuel Huntington et… Read More Nepal, France, America: democracy seems overtaken once more

Nepal’s horrific reckoning with its failed political class

Roman Gautam 10 Sep 2025 Nepal’s parliament burns after an anti-corruption uprising that brought down the prime minister and government. IMAGO / NurPhoto Nepalis don’t often pay attention to the politics of their Southasian neighbours beyond India. But when Sri Lankans rose up in 2022 to boot out the Rajapaksa regime, they took notice. Then… Read More Nepal’s horrific reckoning with its failed political class

Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes and the Death of Freedom

Modern corporations are not merely economic entities, but political entities without democratic accountability Grace Blakeley‘s Vulture Capitalism critiques the alliance of corporations, finance, and states underpinning the capitalist system that drives inequality, stifles democracy and enriches elites. Brilliantly combining theory, analysis and practical solutions in engaging prose, this book offers a blueprint for reclaiming power… Read More Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes and the Death of Freedom

What History Really Tells Us About Hindu-Muslim Relations

Supposedly irrefutable evidence of division is said to lie in the Muslims over the last 1,000 years having victimised the Hindus, treating them as enslaved. Romila Thapar explains why historians question this theory The following is the text of the C.D. Deshmukh Lecture delivered by Romila Thapar on January 14, 2023, at the India International… Read More What History Really Tells Us About Hindu-Muslim Relations

‘Unforgivable Institutional Amnesia’: Retired HC Judge Slams Judiciary’s Handling of Communal Disputes

Senior advocate and retired Delhi High Court judge S. Muralidhar said that the courts have failed to uphold constitutional values in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition. Senior advocate and retired Delhi high court judge S. Muralidhar has delivered a sharp indictment of the judiciary’s handling of communal disputes, warning that the courts have… Read More ‘Unforgivable Institutional Amnesia’: Retired HC Judge Slams Judiciary’s Handling of Communal Disputes