Shuddhshar always strives to finding new ways to satiate the intellectual appetite of its readers. Towards that end, we have added an Op-Ed section—the latest addition to Shuddhashar’s repository of intellectual tools. 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.
Looking at the debate surrounding modern technology today, aka artificial intelligence, the 19th-century debate over the use of machines in the textile industry looks very similar.
Were The Luddites Ahead of Their Time? Read More »
For a country like Iran, whose history has been shaped by repeated colonial intervention, recognizing a decolonial path that considers non-capitalist alternatives would be a meaningful step.
Selling Hope and Sustaining Horror: The Iranian Dream Read More »
If we want to see the republic survive for another 250 years, perhaps it’s time to consider a 28th Amendment—denying men the right to vote.
A Modest Proposal for a 28th Amendment Read More »
The Football World Cup cannot be reduced to a mere sporting competition. It is also a cultural resource and a site of social meaning-making.
Beyond “22 Players Chasing a Ball”: What the World Cup Really Means Read More »
In India, access to welfare benefits is increasingly being entangled with extensive documentation, household profiling, and citizenship-related verification, which is disproportionately affecting minorities and redefining the meaning of democracy.
Annapurna Bhandar and Its Politics of Discontents Read More »
The future of Afghan refugees in Pakistan is future shaped not by choice, but by necessity.
A Child’s Journey: From Kabul’s Dreams to Survival in Pakistan Read More »
The arrival of the Cockroach Janta Party in India has exposed the exhaustion of respectable civil society as the only authorised grammar of democratic grievance.
People often do what they know is bad for them or fail to do what they know is good. This kind of akrasia or lack of willpower or self-control is now being seen in digital technology—or are we being forced into digital tech against our will?
Technological Akrasia Read More »
The real test for Bengal is not whether Muslims find a party to vote for but whether Bengal can still imagine Muslims as co-authors of its political future.
The Muslim Question and the New Political Order in Bengal Read More »
What does an astounding BJP win mean for West Bengal and for India?
Clarence Thomas’ recent speech extolling the Declaration of Independence and Western civilization while decrying the existential threat of progressivism should instead have acknowledged the similarity between King George’s trespasses against Americans and Trump’s current trespasses.
A Long Train of Abuses and Usurpations Read More »
