Pamela Philipose: If the Media Fails to Read the Farm Struggle Right, Irrelevance Awaits

NB: The Greek word hubris, conveys the sense of overweening pride, arrogance before the gods. The punishment adequate to this sin derives its name from nemesis, the goddess who exacts retribution from those who succumb to hubris. It is not just defeat in an election that Mr Modi’s friend (remember Howdy Modi?) the ruthless sociopath and ignoramus Donald Trump… Read More Pamela Philipose: If the Media Fails to Read the Farm Struggle Right, Irrelevance Awaits

Didier Fassin: The blind spots of left populism

NB: Aside from its useful political reflections, the most important theoretical insight in this essay is this one: ‘Populism is not an ideology but the discursive strategy that sets up an opposition between the elite and the people and is therefore able to accommodate various institutional frameworks.’ In other words, populism is a rhetorical style that… Read More Didier Fassin: The blind spots of left populism

Chris Hedges – We've lost control: The real lessons of the Trump regime and the pandemic

NB: An excellent analysis by one of America’s most forthright journalists. Hedges is also an upholder of human conscience: here’s a review of one of his books on war; and here are titles of two other books (among others) written with courage and of relevance to our times: American Fascists – The Christian Right and… Read More Chris Hedges – We've lost control: The real lessons of the Trump regime and the pandemic

Jairus Banaji on the Indian corporate strategy of subordinating farm households and family labor

NB: Continuing the discussion of issues raised by the ongoing kisan agitation, here are some observations made by Jairus Banaji on the nature of corporate domination and subjugation of peasant agriculture. They appeared on his Facebook page, the dates of which are appended. A long-standing dodge in mainstream commentary on economic policy as well as in political… Read More Jairus Banaji on the Indian corporate strategy of subordinating farm households and family labor