(This is the first part of the paper ‘Interpretation of Cultural Identity and Caste Hegemony in Selected Prose Writing of V.T. Rajshekar‘) Grishma Manikrao Khobragade Abstract Dalit-Bahujan-Ambedkarite writers have come to the fore of literary studies and culture studies in the recent years. These writers reveal in their writings various factors that propel actions …
(Trans)gender and caste lived experience – Transphobia as a form of Brahminism: An Interview of Living Smile Vidya
Note from the interviewers –This is the transcript of a conversation between Dalit transgender feminist writer and theater artist Living Smile Vidya, who lives and works in Chennai, with her transgender brothers Kaveri Karthik and Gee Ameena Suleiman from Bangalore. This conversation took place on a late night after 11 pm in the basti where …
Reflections: National Dalit and Adivasi Women’s Congress 2013
Prachi Beula The National Dalit and Adivasi Women’s Congress 2013 was something that was long overdue. I am yet to absorb the ‘explosion of knowledge and power’ that I experienced and when Anoop bhai said we could share our experiences I was glad to sit down and reflect. Many people asked questions like why …
Political Philosophy of B.R. Ambedkar: A Critical Understanding (Part 2)
Dr. P. Kesava Kumar Continued from here. Assessing the Political Thought of Ambedkar About Ambedkar there are diverse opinions. Upper caste nationalists has tried to brand him as a ‘British agent’. For instance, Arun Shourie, the Hindu nationalist and the “intellectual hero” of the upper castes at the time of the anti-Mandal agitation and …
Reclaiming the Cinematic Space: Countering the Liberal Speech on Caste
Ajith Kumar A S Suddenly caste seems to take center stage of Malayalam cinema and the public sphere in Kerala. Everyone seems to be against caste as if all the progressives suddenly understand caste now. The CPM’s youth wing DYFI conducts a march to build up a “caste-less, secular” Kerala. The congress organizes “Gandhigram’ …
Mulnivasi Sangh, JNU, forges a first-of-its-kind Commemoration
A Round Table Discussion on “Celebrating Centenary of Babasaheb’s Journey to Columbia” [Via Amol Vajji] Babasaheb’s journey to Columbia in 1913 marks the completion of a century in 2013 which, according to Mulnivasi Sangh (JNU), must be celebrated by Mulnivasi people with great vigor and enthusiasm. With this jovial idea, the organization successfully organized …
Dalit and Adivasi Women Warriors Question Caste and Gender Oppression
Sujatha Surepally (Impressions from the first National Dalit and Adivasi Women’s Congress held on February 15-16, 2013, at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai) We live in nature! We die in Nature! It’s our life, if you occupy our land where should we go and how do we live? Whose land is this? The …
Fact Finding Report on the Murder of three Dalit youths in Sonai, Maharashtra
Kunal Shirsathe & Manisha Tokle [Translated from Marathi by Shivali Tukdeo] “I saw my son cut up in pieces. I cannot endure the grief. Did my son commit a crime by falling in love with a girl from the Maratha caste? They had plans of getting married. But he was murdered by those people. They are …
The ugly truth
Kancha Ilaiah ‘You labelled the SC/ST/OBCs as corrupt to equalise them with upper castes who are not merely corrupt but also exploit ‘ Dear Ashis Nandy, On the question of corruption — how to deploy that concept, and which section of the Indian society (not of the state) deserves to be deployed — it …