June 14, 2008

Unrest in Darjeeling Hills
15 June 2008, by SC
The situation in the Darjeeling hills has once again deteriorated with an indefinite strike to project the demand for a separate State of Gorkhaland paralysing life and leaving countless tourists stranded. As we go to press there are signs of (...)
To Talk about Austerity…!
15 June 2008, by Nikhil Chakravartty
The air is thick with talk about the economic crisis facing the country. The Finance Minister has called it “ a grave economic crisis”. “We have not experienced anything similar in the history of independent India,” he has said.
In Parliament, in (...)
Innovative Measures for Inclusive Women’s Reservation
15 June 2008, by Iqbal A Ansari
Reservation for women in Parliament and Assemblies derives legitimacy from the norms of inclusive democracy, and from the human rights norms requiring institutions to be gender sensitive. But these very norms would also like the Indian (...)
On the Creativity of Indian Muslims
15 June 2008, by Ashok Celly
One of the most amazing phenomena of our cultural history is the extraordinary creativity of Indian Muslims. They have made outstanding contributions not only to music—something which is generally acknowledged—but also to literature, theatre, (...)
The State’s Response
15 June 2008
[(The following is one chapter of the Report of the Expert Group on “Development Issues to Deal with the Causes of Discontent, Unrest and Extremism”, set up by the Planning Commission, in May 2006. With D. Bandyopadhyay, the architect of (...)
Capabilities’ Qualifier: Can the Gap be Bridged?
15 June 2008, by Uttam Sen
The development of capabilities can liberate people from ancient snares and provide them lives of reasonable dignity and contentment. The ability to lead healthy lives, read and write, form opinions and share them constructively with one’s milieu (...)
West Bengal: Panchayat Election Outcome shakes the Roots of Left Politics
15 June 2008, by Amitava Mukherjee
The results of the just concluded panchayat elections in West Bengal have opened up such possibilities and speculations as has never been witnessed in the 30-year-old Left rule in the State. The reverses suffered by the Left, particularly the (...)
A Critique of Neo-Liberal Development and Alternatives
15 June 2008, by Jajati K Pattnaik
Neo-liberal development based on the foundations of free market, free trade, and integration building policies envisages a world order glowing with growth and prosperity. Globalisation as the instrument of this philosophy espouses the diffusion (...)
Practical Steps to Peace in Kashmir
15 June 2008, by Neenu Rishi Chanchal
[(BOOK REVIEW)]
Crafting Peace in Kashmir: Through a Realist Lens by Verghese Koithara; Sage Publications, New Delhi.
This edited volume examines the India-Pakistan conflict in depth, and comparative analyses with conflicts as observed in (...)
Electing the Nepal Constituent Assembly: A People’s Mandate
15 June 2008, by Manvi Priya
The much awaited and negotiated elections to the Constituent Assembly (CA) in Nepal took place on April 10, 2008. Having studied the debates around Constitution-building and interviewed the actors of Nepalese politics and civil society last (...)

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