The Manipur violence is unlikely to end anytime soon
The long-simmering ethnic tensions in Manipur have recently erupted into deadly clashes. There is, however, no clear path forward towards peaceful co-existence.
Essay
Shuddhshar always strives to find new ways to satiate the intellectual appetite of its readers. In our Essay section, we aim to build a constellation of columnists from diverse backgrounds who would, from their unique perspectives, produce commentaries on contemporary sociopolitical issues and events that demand rigorous scrutiny, constructive criticism, and sober reflections. We also encourage our readers, especially those who live under the yoke of a repressive state apparatus, to use this platform to speak truth to power by penning columns and engaging in lively discussions in the comments section.
Is There a New ‘People’s Leader’ in Bengal?
Can Suvendu Adhikari outshine Mamata Banerjee’s heir apparent Abhishek Banerjee and become the next dominant figure in West Bengal politics?
Election matters! Global Implications of Turkey’s Presidential Election
Erdogan secured another election victory by posing as the nation’s protector. His win, however, bodes ill for democracy and human rights around the world.
UFOs, Aliens, and the Deep State
A whistleblower makes a bombshell claim that the United States and its adversaries are running secret programmes to retrieve and back-engineer vehicles of non-human origin. Is he telling the truth?
Making sense of Erdoğan’s victory
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s electoral victory in May 2023 bears witness to several features about contemporary strongman leaders in the non-western world – among others, Narendra Modi in India, Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. First, they are popular. Second, their popularity, at least in large part, builds on the successful manipulation
What May Happen in Pakistan: Three Scenarios
Pakistan has plunged into unprecedented and deadly political chaos following the dramatic arrest of the former Prime Minister and Chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) party. Imran Khan, for now, is free, but what future awaits him? Given Pakistan’s volatile situation, it is pertinent to offer some likely scenarios that might unfold in the coming
India and Pakistan – Opposition Threatened
Regardless of how we judge the variety of political actors in India and Pakistan, it should not pass under the radar that the governments in two of the most populous states in Asia are currently in differing ways trying to imprison and/or disqualify the most important opposition leaders ahead of the forthcoming elections in 2023
Unpacking the Karnataka election: Key takeaways and the road ahead
They have turned even policy failures such as the infamous demonetisation into political capital, while policy moves such as the aberration of Kashmir’s special status are popular way beyond the usual suspects of BJP supporters. Despite everything, BJP is still India’s largest political party, a juggernaut that will take the joint strength of all its
Hindutva vs History
As a nationalist doctrine and movement, Hindu nationalism — or Hindutva — grew in parallel with the portrayal and solidification of Hinduism as a single, coherent, organised religious system. The former informed the construction of the latter, and a selective interpretation of the latter undergirded the former.1 In contrast with Nehruvian secularism, which is grounded
Do we need to protect the constitution? Constitution and Democracy in India
Contested Constitution? As we celebrate ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ marking the 75th year of Indian independence, serious questions regarding constitutional order and morality underline the observances. At one level, these questions have been provoked by debates on democracy backsliding and rising majoritarianism in India. Global publications like Economist Intelligence Unit and Varieties of Democracy
Digitalization of the Educational Landscape in India: Responses to “Teaching and Learning in a Pandemic”
Introduction by Latika Gupta and Chaise LaDousa: For Shuddhashar FreeVoice’s Education issue, published May 2022, Latika Gupta and Chaise LaDousa described their conversation in which they identified and discussed some of the issues that have been confronting educators in India since the onset of the pandemic. One of its consequences for teachers was a complete
