The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that narco-analysis on suspects is illegal and violates their liberties. Critical Stew had written a post about this earlier, while the media had been gushing about technology’s role in fishing information out of enemies of the state and criminals. Link
The schools choice debate requires a rethink after revelations that the Swedish experiment is not going to plan.
Mass media can be a powerful tool to propagate “mean world” attitudes and beliefs. An exclusive interview with Dr Paul Boxer of Rutgers University
In the journal Agone (issues 41 and 42) a whole collection of articles and papers examine the role of intellectuals in regards of liberation struggles. The co-coordinators of these issues, Thierry Discepolo, Charles Jacquier eta Philippe Olivera, present the debate as follows: “The “intellectual” would necessarily be “from the left”, he would only work “naturally” [...]
Women Aloud: Videoblogging for Empowerment (WAVE). The project involves training young women around India (one per state) to become citizen journalists telling video stories about positive change in their communities to an international audience online.
Mary Roy, an educationist from Kerala, India writes about the debilitating impact of the mania for English language education for school children in India. Using Kerala as an example she argues that learning in English comes at a price — not understanding what one is learning leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self esteem. [...]
We have been reporting on the crisis in the University (read here and here). A petition asking the prime minister of UK to reverse the Research Councils and HEFCE policy to direct funds to projects whose outcomes are determined to have a significant ‘impact’. Details: We request the reversal of the Research Councils and HEFCE [...]
Slavoj Zizek appeared on Democracy Now to critique the ideology that provides scaffolding for capitalism to go on doing what it does, even when we know its consequences. He cites the example of the openness of cynicism in democratic societies with no room for radical emancipation. “That’s ideology today. We don’t believe in democracy—nobody. You [...]
It is often pointed out by liberals that caste is nonexistent in urban centres, thus leading to the belief that industrialisation and urbanisation are solutions to this problem. However, we need to cast a sideways glance.
Judith Butler writes about what is going on in the University, or the disastrous results of managerialism in the University (link), which has eroded whatever remained of the public character of the University. This article should be read as a precursor to the more substantial critique of the idea of the University and its future [...]
