Research Radio
Economic and Political Weekly
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Research Radio brings academic rigour to ask and address complex questions. Our show lets you learn directly from researchers who are at the forefront of their fields, investigating topics ranging from food security programmes to queer rights legislation.
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Mar 12, 2023
Dalits and the Environmental Movement in India
In this episode of Research Radio, we have with us Prof. Mukul Sharma who will be discussing his work on Dalits and the environmental movement in India based on his papers titled "The Making of Moral Authority: Anna Hazare and Watershed Management Programme in Ralegan Siddhi", "The Vrindavan Conservation Project" and "Dalits and Indian Environmental Politics". Prof. Mukul Sharma currently teaches Environmental Studies at Ashoka University in Sonipat.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Feb 2, 2023
Electoral Politics in ‘Jatland’: The Changing Political Landscape in Haryana
In this episode of Research Radio, we have with us Dr. Radhika Kumar, who will be discussing the changing political landscape in the ‘Jatland’ of Haryana. This discussion is based on her papers titled ‘Saffronising 'Jatland': Mapping Shifts in the Electoral Landscape in Haryana’, ‘Stooping to Conquer: Jats and Reservations in Haryana’, ‘Why a Nationalist Rhetoric Failed the BJP in Haryana’. Dr. Radhika Kumar is with the Department of Political Science, Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Jan 8, 2023
Debt and Service: The Logic of Caste
In this episode of Research Radio, we have Rajat Roy discussing his research on Dalit Political Subjectivity. In his papers titled "From Postcolonial Irony to Dalit Truth: A Perspective on Experience" and "Politics of Identity Contra Anti-caste Social Visions: The Matua Problem and Beyond," he highlights the uniqueness of Hindu life world and the social practices of castes. He argues that the postcolonial theory has not been sincere enough to look at caste and Brahmanical ideology critically as much as it has explored political questions like that of a Nation. Rajat Roy is an assistant professor of political science at Presidency University, Kolkata.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Jan 5, 2023
COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Manufacturing in the US and in India - Part 2
This time on Research Radio we have with us Prof. Sunil Mani for a two-part episode on COVID-19 vaccine R&D and manufacturing in the US and in India based on his Special Article titled "The Role of Industrial Policy in Market-friendly Economies: Case of COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Its Manufacturing in India and the US—I" and "The Role of Industrial Policy in Market-friendly Economies: Case of COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Its Manufacturing in India and Its Contrast with the US—II". Prof. Mani is director and professor, RBI Chair, at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.
In Part 1 of this episode we will look at the differences in the approach adopted by the US and by India and the role of the each respective government in promoting R&D and Manufacturing.
In Part 2 of this episode we discuss how intellectual property laws can facilitate and hinder the development and production of vaccines and the delicate balance of public private partnerships needed especially in the field of knowledge production and healthcare.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Jan 5, 2023
COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Manufacturing in the US and in India - Part 1
This time on Research Radio we have with us Prof. Sunil Mani for a two-part episode on COVID-19 vaccine R&D and manufacturing in the US and in India based on his Special Article titled "The Role of Industrial Policy in Market-friendly Economies: Case of COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Its Manufacturing in India and the US—I" and "The Role of Industrial Policy in Market-friendly Economies: Case of COVID-19 Vaccine R&D and Its Manufacturing in India and Its Contrast with the US—II". Prof. Mani is director and professor, RBI Chair, at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.
In Part 1 of this episode we will look at the differences in the approach adopted by the US and by India and the role of the each respective government in promoting R&D and Manufacturing.
In Part 2 of this episode we discuss how intellectual property laws can facilitate and hinder the development and production of vaccines and the delicate balance of public private partnerships needed especially in the field of knowledge production and healthcare.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Dec 12, 2022
Caste Among School Children in Maharashtra
On this episode of Research Radio we have Sameer Mohite discussing his research on Caste among School Children in Maharashtra. In his papers titled "Critical Thinking on Caste among Schoolchildren in Maharashtra: Case Study of Two Schools in Chiplun" and "Caste amongst Schoolchildren: A Response" he discusses whether schools have been successful in encouraging children to overcome caste prejudice by bringing students from different castes together. Sameer Mohite currently teaches at Nirmala Niketan College in Mumbai.
For more episodes and to listen to EPW's other podcast Research Radio head to https://www.epw.in/podcasts
Subscribe to EPW to access all our content including the archives of The Economic and Political Weekly and The Economic Weekly dating back to 1949. https://www.epw.in/subscribe.html
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Oct 10, 2022
Socio-cultural Factors and Mental Health in India
On this World Mental Health Day we bring you a conversation with Sudarshan Kottai on Mental Health in India and it’s entanglements with socio-cultural factors both in the provision of mental healthcare as well as within the institutions of mental health themselves.
Sudarshan Kottai teaches at the Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat and has published several articles in EPW including, “How Kerala’s Poor Tribals Are Being Branded As 'Mentally Ill'”, “Migrant Workers and the Politics of Mental Health”, “A Mental Health Epidemic?: Critical Questions on the National Mental Health Survey”, and “Social Sensitivity of Mental Health Systems”.
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Oct 5, 2022
Left Resurgence in Latin America
In this episode of Research Radio we speak to Tathagatan Ravindran about the rising ‘pink tide’ in Latin America based on his papers in EPW titled “Bolivia at the Crossroads”, “Neo-liberal Restoration at the Barrel of a Gun: Dissecting the Racist Coup in Bolivia”, “Return of the Left in Bolivia: Social Movements and Popular Power”, and “The Left Victory in Colombia: From Resistance to Power” . He discusses the Left victories and struggles in Latin America and his own experiences of watching these unfold.
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Oct 4, 2022
Race, Caste, and Class
In her book 'Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents' Isabel Wilkerson looks to the Indian caste system to provide the vocabulary to expose the invisible substructure underlying race in America. Wilkerson draws comparisons between Racism in America and Caste in India in the way certain logics and practices - such as purity-pollution and endogamy - are used to establish one's status, access to resources, and humanity. In this episode we have Gopal Guru in conversation with R. Srivatsan and P. Thirumal discussing Isabel Wilkerson's book and the overlaps and exclusions between Race, Caste, and Class.
Our guests have expressed their views on Isabel Wilkerson's book in their article published in the EPW, titled "Engaging with Isabel Wilkerson’s Idea of Race" by R. Srivatsan and "On Philosophical Causality and the Problem of Evil" by P. Thirumal
To view the Pears Soap advertisement mentioned by R. Srivatsan please refer to the show notes on the EPW website.
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Sep 14, 2022
Contemporary Capitalism and the 4th Industrial Revolution
In this episode Atul Bhardwaj discusses his papers on Contemporary Capitalism and the 4th Industrial Revolution. The first paper titled '_Decay of Liberalism and Withering Away of the Left: Fourth Industrial Revolution_' talks about how the technology-driven revolution is fundamentally affecting the relationship between capital and labour. And how this change is driving right-wing populism across the globe while the left seems to be left behind.
The second paper titled '_The Capital–Labour Rupture and the World Order_' takes this further arguing that cyber-capitalism is the driving force of the current changes in global political economy. It argues that with the help of these technologies, capitalism is breaking free from labour and is being supported by the right-wing conservatives who are undermining the educated middle class and polarising the society to help reduce the population pool that will be entitled to universal basic income in the ensuing age of mass joblessness.
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Mar 10, 2022
Criminalisation of Vimukta Communities: The Role of Police and Judiciary
The FIRs filed to regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol follow a curious template in Madhya Pradesh, our guests from today’s episode found. An FIR is likely to begin with a tip from an anonymous informant. Police officers would then reach the “crime site” and find that the accused does not have the appropriate licence to sell liquor. On paper, the section they are charged under is about regulating the sale of alcohol. In practice, however, our guests for today’s episode identify how this type of FIRs and subsequent legal proceedings reveal how power and control operate in India.
Nikita Sonavane and Srujana Bej join us in this episode of Research Radio. We will be discussing their article titled _Construction(s) of Female Criminality: Gender, Caste and State Violence_. We recommend reading the two articles “_The Anxious State_” and “_Death by Excise Policing: The Widening Web of Carcerality in India_.” Their article was a part of a specially commissioned _series…
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Mar 8, 2022
Setting the Record Straight on Birsa Munda and His Political Legacy (Part- II)
Although the role of Birsa Munda has been seminal in championing the Adivasi cause, his political movements and legacy have been distorted, like other prominent Indian historical figures, including B R Ambedkar and M K Gandhi. Despite misrepresentations, Birsa Munda and his politics continue to inspire not just Adivasis but also Dalits and other marginalised sections in their pursuit of attaining social justice.
Birsa Munda, a young freedom fighter and a tribal leader was born and raised in the tribal belt of Bihar and Jharkhand. Although he lived a very short span of life, Birsa managed to mobilise the tribal community against the British regime and he forced them to introduce laws to protect the land rights of the tribal community.
This podcast is based on the article “ Setting the Record Straight on Birsa Munda and His Political Legacy” which was authored by Dr Joseph Bara. The article was published in EPW journal on 25th July 2020.
Dr Bara is an independent scholar on triba…
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Mar 4, 2022
EdTech Platforms: Transforming India's Educational Spaces?
Byju’s is likely to be the first name that pops into our heads when we think of the words online education and EdTech. While online education was once seen with doubt, Byju’s has reported consistent growth in users and the pandemic has given them a turbo boost. What are the implications of EdTech companies in changing how students learn and grow? What types of partnerships are EdTech companies forging to grow? How can technology be used to bring us closer to the ideal of education as a transformative force for progress, to spark innovation and to address inequity?
These are some of the questions that researcher Gurumurthy Kasinathan will help address. We will be discussing his articles "The Edtech Leviathan" and "Platform Capitalism and Edtech."
Gurumurthy Kasinathan is one of the founders of IT for Change. His areas of expertise include ICT integration in school education, teacher education and pre-service teacher education.
Opening excerpt courtesy: LearnIt
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Mar 2, 2022
Setting the Record Straight on Birsa Munda and His Political Legacy (Part- I)
Although the role of Birsa Munda has been seminal in championing the Adivasi cause, his political movements and legacy have been distorted, like other prominent Indian historical figures, including B R Ambedkar and M K Gandhi. Despite misrepresentations, Birsa Munda and his politics continue to inspire not just Adivasis but also Dalits and other marginalised sections in their pursuit of attaining social justice.
Birsa Munda, a young freedom fighter and a tribal leader was born and raised in the tribal belt of Bihar and Jharkhand. Although he lived a very short span of life, Birsa managed to mobilise the tribal community against the British regime and he forced the crown to introduce laws to protect the land rights of the tribal community.
This podcast is based on the article “ Setting the Record Straight on Birsa Munda and His Political Legacy” which was authored by Dr Joseph Bara. The article was published in EPW journal on 25th July 2020.
Dr Bara is an independent scholar on…
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Feb 24, 2022
Anti-conversion Legislation in Karnataka
The recent Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, passed in the Karnataka legislative assembly that claims to combat conversion is a diabolical move by the government to provide legal cover to the majoritarian fundamentalist oppression against minorities.
This podcast is based on the article “Anti-conversion Legislation in Karnataka: BJP’s Responsible Governance or Descent in Communal Chaos?” which was published in EPW journal on 15th January, 2022.
Cynthia Stephen is an independent social policy researcher and analyst and independent journalist. She is also a well-known trainer on Gender, policy and Development issues. Her body of work includes leadership in several people’s initiatives for justice, in large country-wide women’s empowerment groups, and theoretical work on Women’s concerns from the unrecognised perspective of women and girls from a large number of marginalised sections in India.
The podcast has been conceptualised, recorded and edited by Rahul Bhise.
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Feb 22, 2022
Diluting Environmental Regulations Under the Guise of Good Governance
In 2012, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported in Parliament that the government inefficiently allocated coal blocks and caused a loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 1.8 lakh crore. The period from 2010 to the national elections in 2014 was when “the allocation of natural resources to mainstream economic sectors, especially mining, was politicised like never before.” What did this process of politicisation involve? How was it different from before? In what ways has environmental regulation changed since 2014?
These are some of the questions that researchers Dr Kanchi Kohli and Dr Manju Menon will help address. We will be discussing their EPW article titled “_Narratives of Natural Resource Corruption and Environmental Regulatory Reforms in India_.” Their article was a part of a specially commissioned series of five papers for EPW’s annual _Review of Environment and Development_.
Manju Menon is a senior fellow at CPR, where she undertakes research, writing and c…
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Feb 22, 2022
Namdeo Dhasal’s New Language- A reflection of the conscience of the oppressed
Marathi poet Namdeo Dhasal challenged Brahminical literature and sought to reconstruct a caste-less society through his works.
This podcast is based on the article Namdeo Dhasal’s new language that was published in EPW journal on 27th October, 2018.
Yogesh is a poet, columnist, writer and founder of Panther’s Paw Publication. He is also a PhD scholar at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. He is studying the History of Ambedkarite Shahiri in Maharashtra.
January 15 is marked as the death anniversary of Poet extraordinaire Namdeo Dhasal, and EPW pays homage to him with this feature.
The podcast has been conceptualised, recorded and edited by Rahul Bhise.
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Feb 14, 2022
Understanding Gail Omvedt’s Anti-caste and Feminist Research Methodology
Gail Omvedt has published more than 50 articles in EPW. This includes sharp book reviews, innovative research work and critical responses to articles published in the journal. After her death, EPW published reflective articles to understand her contributions. To take this a step further, and to commemorate her legacy, we felt that it could be useful to take a behind-the-scenes look at her research process, how her work is taught within a classroom setting and critical reflections about her scholarship.
Dr Umesh Bagade and Dr Sangita Thosar join us on the podcast to share their insights based on extensive experience teaching Omvedt’s work and knowledge about anti-caste and feminist movements in Maharashtra. Our reading list charts the growth of her scholarship. We discuss Dr Omvedt’s articles titled “_Jotirao Phule and the Ideology of Social Revolution in India_,” “_Development of the Maharashtrian Class Structure, 1818 to 1931_,” and “_Non-Brahmans and Nationalists in Po…
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Feb 3, 2022
Dalit Politics: The dilemma of forming a dynamic alliance
In their bid to maintain political visibility, various factions of the Republican Party of India have struck up alliances with "secular" and "non-secular" parties. They have not adequately utilised the progressive undercurrents of the Dalit consciousness to connect with other deprived communities to form a dynamic coalition.
This podcast is based on the article Dalit Politics in Maharashtra that was published in EPW journal on 21st April 2012. This article is authored by Dr Harish S Wankhede. Dr Wankhede is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Political Studies at JNU, New Delhi. He has written about caste, Dalit movement, Dalit Politics in the states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. He specialises in Political Theory, Public Institutions, Secularism and Social Justice and Cinema.
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Jan 17, 2022
Indian Courts and the Politics of Recognising Women’s Unpaid Care Work
Women spend more than three times as much time performing unpaid domestic work than men in India based on 2019 NSSO data. This means women get less time to pursue paid work, learn new skills, get rest, and more. This disproportionate division of labour remains unrecognised. Indian courts, however, have attempted to value women’s unpaid domestic work in cases where women have died or become disabled in motor accidents.
Dr Prabha Kotiswaran has analysed hundreds of such cases since the 1960s. She joins us on the podcast to discuss her findings. Dr Kotiswaran is a Professor of Law and Social Justice at King’s College London. She is currently working on a multi-year project titled “Laws of Social Reproduction” and is an advisory member of EPW’s Review of Women’s Studies. We recommend reading the following related articles as well: “What Does Work-From-Home Mean for Women?” “Estimating Unpaid Care Work: Methodological Issues in Time Use Surveys” and “'Wages for Housew…
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Dec 31, 2021
Will the Insurance Model Save Indian Healthcare?
In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an ambitious plan to achieve universal health coverage in India: by covering medical expenses upto Rs 5 lakh per family for one in every three Indians. The government called the scheme Ayushman Bharat and also promised to revamp the primary health care system alongside the insurance coverage.
How has the Ayushman Bharat scheme fared? Scholars Sylvia Karpagam and Shailender Kumar Hooda join us on the podcast to examine key aspects of the program. Dr Sylvia Karpagam is a public health doctor and researcher who is part of the Right to Food and Right to Health campaigns. She is specifically interested in the regulation of the private healthcare sector and in the social determinants of health, especially caste and nutrition. Dr Shailender Kumar Hooda teaches at the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi, India. He has over a decade of teaching and research experience with a specialization in the political economy of health…
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Sep 6, 2021
Sensory Life of Caste in Indian Universities
The classroom can be a space for us to engage in deep learning, rigorous debate, collaboration and critical thinking. It’s a space where our senses can be active and nourished. However, entry into the classroom has been historically limited to upper-caste cis men. What happens when these exclusions are challenged?
This is a bonus episode of Research Radio, where P Thirumal and Carmel Christy join us to discuss their EPW article on higher education in India and their scholarship on media studies. Dr P Thirumal teaches at the Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad. He teaches courses related to theory, history and media Science with reference to modernity and deep time. His scholarship has focused on the cultural histories of North East India including embodiment studies focussing on discriminatory practices of Dalit Bahujans in higher education institutions in India. Dr Carmel Christy K J is currently an International Fellow of the Urban Studies…
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Jul 13, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #7: Notes on Reading Ambedkar
From academic writing to social media, Dr Ambedkar’s scholarship and actions are receiving renewed attention due to the efforts by Dalit-Bahujan scholars and thinkers. This special programme produced by EPW is one specific example of this.
Our guest today has been writing on Dr Ambedkar for several decades, and has more recently focused on frameworks on how to read Ambedkar. Professor Gopal Guru is currently the editor of EPW, and was formerly professor at the Centre for Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.
We will be discussing several works including “Ethics of Reading Ambedkar’s Text” and Guru's lecture at the English and Foreign Languages University from 2017, which was documented by the publication Dalit Camera.
Audio courtesy: Summertime by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060 [CC BY 3.0]
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May 19, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #6: What Role Did Ambedkar Envision For the State to Play in Ensuring Equity?
Dr B R Ambedkar has written extensively about economics and development. Along with proposing landmark legislations, he was also attentive to the impact of policies on those from marginalised castes and on women. Our guests will examine the policy landscape in and focus on two landmark programmes— the National Food Security Act’s provisions for maternity entitlements and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act—and whether they actualise Ambedkar’s vision of a democratic socialist India.
Nitin Dhaktode and Aditi Priya join us on Research Radio. Nitin is a senior doctoral research scholar at the School of Development Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. He has also worked with social audit units for over three and a half years in Hyderabad and across India. Aditi Priya is a research associate at LEAD at Krea University, Sricity. She started the group Bahujan Economists. Her research interests include maternity entitlements, maternal a…
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May 12, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #5: Dynamics of the Anti-Khoti Agitations in Konkan Region and Working Class Struggles in Bombay
What does it take to build unity among the working class? We'll explore how Dr Ambedkar led movements in the Konkan region against khots, or landlords, who gave unfair remunerations to tenants, and in the Bombay Presidency in favour of garnering humane working conditions for the working class, including mill workers.
Santosh Suradkar is our guest for this week. Dr Suradkar teaches at the Department of History, Gondwana University, Gadchiroli. His research areas include peasant, labour, caste and Dalit history. We will discuss his EPW article “Mukti Kon Pathe? Caste and Class in Ambedkar’s Struggle.”
Audio courtesy: Summertime by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060 [CC BY 3.0]
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May 5, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #4: What Steps Did Ambedkar Take to Empower Women?
What steps did Ambedkar take to counter patriarchy and the caste-based order? Why should laws specifically consider caste in addressing incidents of violence? What role have upper-caste women played in furthering the women's movement in India?
These are a few of the questions that Abhinaya Ramesh explores on this week's episode of Research Radio. Professor Ramesh is a political scientist, feminist theorist and human rights scholar. She was awarded the British Chevening fellowship and is currently based in Mumbai. Professor Ramesh’s interests include citizen’s rights and their implementation in India, India’s political system and western political thought.
We’ll discuss her articles “_Dalit Women, Vulnerabilities, and Feminist Consciousness_” and “_Reflections on the 'Chalo Nagpur' Campaign_.”
Audio courtesy: Summertime by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060 [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 28, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #3: Probing Caste Violence at the Visible, Symbolic, and Structural Levels
What are the implications of studying Dr Ambedkar’s texts in an Indian public university? What are the multiple forms of violence that caste thrives on, and how are these contested? What is the importance of naming, particularly the use of the terms "Harijan," "Scheduled Caste" and "Dalit"?
These are a few of the questions that Parthasarathi Muthukkaruppan explores on this week's episode of Research Radio. Dr Muthukkaruppan teaches in the Department of Cultural Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. His research interests include cultural theory, literature, cinema, visual culture and continental philosophy.
We will discuss his EPW article “Paramakudi Violence: Against Dalits, Against Politics." We will also explore his articles “Critique of Caste Violence” and “Dalit: the making of a political subject” published in Social Scientist and Critical Quarterly respectively.
Audio courtesy: Summertime by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356…
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Apr 21, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #2: What Methods Did Ambedkar Use to Create Transformative Change?
Thanthai Periyar and B R Ambedkar shared several similarities in their analysis of Indian society. However, they held different views on the nation-state, and women's sexuality, among other areas. V Geetha joins us to discuss Dr Ambedkar and Periyar's thought. She also details Dr Ambedkar's views on fraternity, political change, Savarnas, the law. Dr Geetha is a feminist historian and translator who writes in English and Tamil on gender, caste, education and labour. She has worked on the Tamil on-brahmin and anti-caste movements, and on feminist practices in the Indian context.
She has published several articles in EPW, and we’ll focus on two today: "Of Whales and Wheels: Buddhist Lessons in Democracy" and "Invitation to Practise Social Fellowship." Also, read Geetha's article "Ambedkar and Periyar’s intellectual comradeship," which was published by Forward Press.
Audio courtesy: Summertime by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060 [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 14, 2021
Ambedkar in 2021, #1: Locating Ambedkar, The Historian
Welcome to the first part of our new Research Radio special programme. This series will focus on Dr B R Ambedkar, and his mission of achieving “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.” For the next two months, every Wednesday, we’ll learn about Dr Ambedkar’s thoughts and actions from scholars across disciplines— from history, to literary studies and economics. Through this series, we hope to get closer to the multidisciplinary approach through which Dr Ambedkar viewed Indian society. Most episodes will offer deep dives into his views on Marxism, Buddhism, Brahminism, patriarchy, the Indian state, and his engagement with Periyar, Jotirao Phule, and others. A handful of episodes will analyse work by scholars who have followed an Ambedkar-inspired approach in their scholarship.
To start us off Chinnaiah Jangam joins us. Dr Jangam is an Associate Professor in the Department of History. His research focus is on the social and intellectual history of Dalits in modern South…
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Apr 11, 2021
#23: Revisiting Jotirao Phule’s Theory and Practice That Challenge Brahminism
"Hindu culture and the caste system," writes Gail Omvedt in her EPW article on Jotirao Phule in 1971 "rested upon Brahmanism; hence Phule, who aimed for the complete destruction of caste, superstition and inequality within Indian tradition, linked his thought with a movement of opposition to the Brahman elite." On Phule’s birth anniversary, we’ll discuss his writing on caste, class, and gender relations in South Asia and importantly, the methods he used to counter Brahmanism and patriarchy in collaboration with his co-traveller and wife Savitribai Phule.
Tejas Harad joins us on Research Radio to discuss his engagement and research primarily on Jotirao Phule. Tejas has worked at EPW since 2013 as a copy-editor and regularly contributes to multiple news publications in his individual capacity. We will also partially focus on Savitribai Phule, but this episode does not cover the depth of her work. Last year, Tejas started a bilingual journal called the Satyashodhak to make th…
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Mar 30, 2021
#22: Why is the Judiciary Treating Reservations as an ‘Enabling Provision’ and Not a Fundamental Right?
Debates over caste-based reservations in India consistently make front-page news. Dominant political parties and the judiciary perform vital roles in ensuring the implementation of this measure to address historic and enduring injustices, social exclusion, and deep-seated inequality in favour of Savarna castes in India. How well has the judiciary fared in ensuring that reservations are implemented?
This week on Research Radio, Sameena Dalwai and Aabhinav Tyagi join us to discuss their work on the Indian judiciary and reservations. Dr Dalwai is with the Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat. She writes in Marathi and English on caste, gender, sexuality, cultural nationalism, and the law. Aabhinav teaches political science at Scottish International School, Shamli. He hosts a new podcast called “The Gobarment.” We’ll be discussing their EPW article titled “Impact of Uttarakhand's Reservation Judgment on Women.” This episode was recorded in July 2020 and, there…
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Mar 22, 2021
#21: The Government, Markets, or NGOs—Who Can Ensure Equitable Access to Water?
Let’s turn back the clock to a century ago. We’re in 1923 and the Bombay Legislative Council has just passed a resolution enabling Dalits to access public places like wells and water tanks. Four years later in 1927, however, Savarnas continued to prevent Dalits from accessing drinking water. On 20 March that year, Babasaheb Ambedkar led a public demonstration where Dalits collectively drank water from a public tank in Maharashtra’s Mahad district. While these were landmark acts, Savarnas continue to prevent Dalits, and particularly Dalit women, from accessing drinking water. We’ll learn more about this, and the important shifts brought under the colonial, post-colonial, and liberalisation periods in India.
Deepa Joshi joins us to discuss her work on access to water. Dr Joshi is with the International Water Management Institutes and Research Program on Water, and Ecosystem where she is the Gender, Youth, and Inclusion Lead. We’ll discuss her EPW article “Caste, Ge…
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Mar 15, 2021
#20: Are Teachers Responsible for India’s Bad Public Education System?
Government school teachers are often blamed for the poor state of public education in India. Some scholars and commentators claim that they are incompetent, absent from classrooms, and overpaid, particularly when compared to teachers in the private sector. We’ll investigate if this is true.
Protiva Kundu joins us this week to discuss the state of India’s public education system by focusing on teachers. Dr Kundu is with the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability where she leads research on the financing of education. We’ll discuss her EPW article where she analyses data from six states to understand if teachers are the ones who are letting our system down. In the second half of the podcast, we’ll also discuss the landmark National Education Policy, 2020 and we’ll focus on its impact on teachers. Also, have a look at the interactive feature we made based on the article: http://bit.ly/teachers-epw.
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar [CC BY-SA 3.0].
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Mar 8, 2021
#19: Can Hospitals Play a Role in Preventing Domestic Violence?
The strict lockdown announced last March was followed by an increase in violence against women and girls by cis-men, and particularly violence in the ostensibly sacred and safe space of the home. Today we’ll ask—how can domestic violence be prevented?
Poonam Kathuria and Jasoda Rana join us on Research Radio to discuss their efforts to support survivors. Jasoda Rana is a counselor with Violence Prevention and Support cell, at the Community Health and Referral hospital, in Radhanpur, Gujarat. She works with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Poonam Kathuria is the founder-director of the Society for Women's Action and Training Initiatives-SWATI. Poonam has over 25 years of experience in a leadership role working for the prevention of gender-based violence, women’s empowerment, and leadership. The public health system is supposed to provide girls and women with care and rehabilitation, besides documenting and providing evidence of the violence. We’ll exp…
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Mar 1, 2021
#18: What Prevents Indian Public Hospitals from Being Hygienic?
“Wash your hands with soap for twenty seconds and wear masks." Such reminders have become ubiquitous since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals are supposed to be the flag bearers of hygienic practices to curb the spread of infectious diseases. Today, we’ll ask if public hospitals in India are hygienic.
We will speak to Payal Hathi and Nikhil Srivastav about how caste-based-discrimination by Savarnas negatively affects the health of patients and leads to exploitative work conditions for hospital cleaners. Payal Hathi is with the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (r.i.c.e) and is a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. Nikhil Srivastav is also associated with r.i.c.e. and Research And Action for Health in India (RAAHI). We will discuss their article “_Caste Prejudice and Infection: Why a Dangerous Lack of Hygiene Persists in Government Hospitals._"
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar [CC BY-SA 3.0].
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Feb 22, 2021
#17: Can Social Movements Change the Balance of Power in Educational Systems?
Two decades ago, a survey found that only about one in four Adivasis in Tamil Nadu's Gudalur town were literate and the rate among women was even lower. Adivasi student enrollment in specialised public schools was extremely low and the conditions of the schools were far from adequate. “Non-Adivasi teachers and staff showed little empathy or concern for the Adivasi children,” write the three guests for today’s episode. This grim picture has transformed significantly in much deeper ways than the brush-stroke statistics shared above. We’ll learn about the story of this transformation.
A scholar and two educationists join us on Research Radio today. Amman Madan studied anthropology and currently teaches at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. Dr Madan works on promoting dialogue and justice through education. Rama Sastry has been a passionate teacher who has taught marginalised children for four decades. B Ramdas has also been in the education space for four decades, and…
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Feb 15, 2021
#16: Dalit Women as Political Agents: Notes from Kerala
South Asia has witnessed vibrant movements against patriarchy and the caste system. However, these struggles have historically been fought separately, and at worse, in competing ways. Despite this, Dalit feminists have underscored the need to view caste and patriarchal systems as functioning in tandem.
Rekha Raj joins us to discuss her article "Dalit Women as Political Agents." Raj is a Dalit feminist writer and activist. She is with the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies at M G University, Kerala.
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar [CC BY-SA 3.0].
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Feb 8, 2021
#15: Despite Having One of the World's Largest Food Security Nets, Why Are Indians Going Hungry?
Despite having one of the largest food security programmes in the world, why are Indians overwhelmingly going hungry? Last October, India slipped to the 94th position among 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index, behind several neighbours including Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. We have a lot of ground to cover in this episode, and we’ll delve deeper into the public distribution system that seeks to cover 90 crore Indians.
Four economists will join us this week on Research Radio: Jean Dreze, Reetika Khera, Isabel Pimenta, and Prankur Gupta. Dr Khera is with the IIT Delhi, Dr Dreze is with Ranchi University. Isabel was formerly with the European Commission in the Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development, Brussels. Prankur is a PhD scholar at The University of Texas at Austin. We will discuss their article titled "Casting the Net: India’s Public Distribution System after the Food Security Act." Also have a look at the article "Aadhaar and Food Secu…
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Feb 1, 2021
#14: The Myth of Vegetarianism in India
At best, only three in ten Indians are vegetarians, and more realistically less than two in ten are vegetarians. Yet, India is often portrayed as a land of vegetarians in popular culture. Our guests will probe this representation, and reveal how vegetarianism varies across caste, religion, class, gender, state and time.
We will speak to Balmurli Natarajan and Suraj Jacob about the politics of vegetarianism in India. Dr Jacob is a political economist affiliated with Azim Premji University, Bengaluru and Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum. Dr Natrajan is an anthropologist affiliated with William Paterson University of New Jersey, United States and Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. We will discuss their EPW articles titled "'Provincialising' Vegetarianism: Putting Indian Food Habits in Their Place" and "Deepening Divides: The Caste, Class and Regional Face of Vegetarianism."
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar [CC BY-SA 3.0].
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Jan 25, 2021
#13: Why Framing Disability as an Individual Problem is the Real Problem
Indian society is suited to meet the needs of certain kinds of bodies over others that are deemed disabled. This is made clear in multiple ways: right from how buildings are designed to the types of appearances that are idealised. However, there are important ways in which people with disabilities have contested attempts to sideline their rights.
This week we’ll speak to Renu Addlakha about women with visual disabilities, and the women’s movement. We’ll also discuss how medical and legal systems inform our understanding of disability. Dr Addlakha is with the Centre for Women’s Development Studies or CWDS in New Delhi. She’s published several articles in EPW about the topics that we will be discussing today and here are two that we recommend: "Women with Visual Disabilities and the Women’s Movement" (http://bit.ly/women-disability) and "Disability Law in India: Paradigm Shift or Evolving Discourse?" (http://bit.ly/law-disability).
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar…
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Jan 18, 2021
#12: How Effective are Institutions for Climate Policy in India?
India is highly vulnerable to the effects of the global climate crises, and is simultaneously now the third largest contributor of greenhouse gases in the world. To address a crisis as complex and long-standing as climate change requires effective institutions. Shibani Ghosh and Navroz Dubash join us this week to share their research examining the effectiveness of Indian institutions and policies to address the global environmental crises. We’ll be focusing on an EPW article written by Navroz and Neha Joseph (http://bit.ly/climate-epw ). Joseph could not join us for this interview. But we'll be discussing Shibani and Navroz's article that expands on the EPW article on climate policy in India. It can be freely downloaded here.
Shibani Ghosh is a Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research and an Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India. Her work focuses on environmental law and governance. Navroz K Dubash is also with the Centre for Policy Research where he is a professor. His…
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Jan 11, 2021
#11: The Impossibility of ‘Dalit Studies’
Colleges and universities hold the potential to transform society by raising social consciousness and enabling social and economic mobility. Historically and today, however, this potential has been constrained by accessibility barriers, deficiencies in curriculums, skewed funding allocations, among other factors. Ankit Kawade, who is an MPhil candidate at the Centre for Political Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, joins us this week to discuss his article titled “The Impossibility of Dalit Studies” published last year (http://bit.ly/dalit-studies).
This is the first episode of our new season featuring a refreshed format, new graphics, and a line-up of exciting scholars. Our goal remains the same: each week, we’ll take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of work published in EPW. We hope you tune in, and share your feedback!
Audio courtesy: The last ones by Jahzzar [CC BY-SA 3.0].
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Jan 8, 2021
Trailer: Research Radio is back!
Our second season features a refreshed format, new graphics, and an exciting line-up of scholars. We’ll focus on five themes for this season: education, healthcare, the environment, food, and social movements. The first episode will be released on Monday, 11 January. And new episodes will be out every Monday so subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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Jun 8, 2020
#10: Can NGOs Remain Effective When They Become Corporatised?
How did Bangladesh come to be known as the land of NGOs, given it hosts the largest NGO, BRAC, and the largest microfinance institution (Grameen Bank)? Anu Muhammad joins us to discuss the role of NGOs in making Bangladesh more marketised and globalised since its independence in 1971.
The insights he will share are based on an article he published in Economic and Political Weekly on 29 September 2018 titled “_Rise of the Corporate NGO in Bangladesh_” (_http://bit.ly/2Is1cbi_).
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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Jun 1, 2020
#9: How Have Waste Pickers in Pune Responded to Rising Privatisation and Dispossession
Who owns waste? How does waste become valuable? Rohini Sahni and V Kalyan Shankar will answer these complex questions based on ethnographic research they conducted in Pune between 2013 and 2016. They will also tell us what led people to choose waste-picking as a profession, and why these workers later collectivised for better working conditions.
The insights they will share are based on their article published in EPW on 8 December 2019 titled “Waste Pickers and the ‘Right to Waste’ in an Indian City" (bit.ly/3cO3Zti).
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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May 25, 2020
#8: Do Indians Still Practice Untouchability?
Which castes and religions practice untouchability the most? Can factors such as education and urbanisation potentially reduce the practice? Do those who practice untouchability know members outside their own caste? Researchers Amit Thorat and Omkar Joshi, who have analysed the findings of a nationally representative survey of over 42,000 households, aim to address these questions.
The insights they will share are based on an article they published in EPW on 11 January 2020 titled “The Continuing Practice of Untouchability in India” (http://bit.ly/2QWaFgM). Do have a look at the feature we created based on the article titled "Do Indians Still Practice Untouchability?" (https://bit.ly/3c9t4id).
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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May 18, 2020
#7: Who is Afraid of Pakistan’s Aurat March?
Pakistan’s Aurat March takes place every year across the country to mark Women’s Day. Past demonstrations have called for accountability for violence against women by men, resources for affected women, the reclamation of public spaces for women, and much more.
The March received severe backlash from both conservative and liberal groups, and researcher Afiya Sheherbano Zia examines the criticism. She details governmental policies that disregard women's rights and how women's groups, both secular and right-wing, protested them. Zia also takes us through debates between secular and right-wing women’s groups.
The insights she will share are based on an article she published in Economic and Political Weekly on 16 November 2019 titled “Who Is Afraid of Pakistan's Aurat March?” (_http://bit.ly/2uh9TCA__)_
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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May 11, 2020
#6: Why Do Colonial Forms of Exploitation Continue in Indian Tea Plantations?
Waking up and brewing a cup of tea, according to your preference of ginger, cardamom, amongst other spices, or stopping by your regular chai stall are a few of the ways Indians drink tea every day. Across regions, religions, caste, class and gender, Indians love to drink tea. India is the second-largest producer of tea in the world, and most of it is consumed domestically.
Researcher Virginus Xaxa shares with us how tea was introduced under the colonial state, how workers were recruited and how they have consistently struggled for humane working conditions, and much more.
The insights he will share are based on an article he published in the EPW on 16 November 2019 titled “Need for Restructuring the Tea Plantation System in India.”
Click on the following link to access the article: _https://bit.ly/2Y7yTbX_
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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May 4, 2020
#5: How Do Power Differences in Medical Interactions Affect Caste-based Discrimination?
Doctors are seen as having a high degree of knowledge and expertise about diagnosing and treating ailments. The Hippocratic Oath requires them to provide fair and equal healthcare to all. Researcher Sobin George investigates how caste impacts doctor-patient interactions in Meenkara, a village in Karnataka, with heightened Dalit consciousness.
He shares with us how India’s caste-based social order and unequal power relations between doctors and patients result in unchecked practices of upper- and middle-caste health care practitioners providing subpar care to Dalit patients.
The insights he will share are based on an article he published in Economic and Political Weekly on 5 October 2019 titled “Reconciliations of Caste and Medical Power in Rural Public Health Services.”
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 27, 2020
#4: Why India’s One-size-fits-all Food Security Programme Fails to Address the Needs of Beneficiaries
How do Indians prefer accessing foodgrains under food security programmes— through direct cash transfers, the existing public distribution system or food coupons? Researchers Mamata Pradhan and Devesh Roy investigate how local power relations impact people's preferences for delivery mechanisms by surveying 1,600 households across three states. Their findings offer ways in which the current model can be reformed.
The insights they will share are based on an article published in EPW on 19 October 2019 titled “_What Is the Effective Delivery Mechanism of Food Support in India?_”
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 20, 2020
#3: Citizenship Amendment Act: Exclusionary Nationhood Hiding Behind the Veneer of Liberal Citizenship
In December 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government radically altered Indian citizenship law, introducing religion as a basis for providing citizenship. How has the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government justified making this change? Author of the groundbreaking book, "Mapping Citizenship in India," Anupama Roy, shares her findings based on an examination of a parliamentary report on the bill.
The insights she will share are based on an article published in EPW on 14 December 2019 titled “_The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Aporia of Citizenship_” (http://bit.ly/2Pr0YWX). We have created a feature on the article and that can found here: "Religion, Citizenship, and the State: Follow our Flowchart to See if You Qualify for Indian Citizenship" (https://bit.ly/2WxVxI4).
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 13, 2020
#2: Why Should We Be Critical about the 2018 Supreme Court Judgement Against Section 377?
A 2018 Supreme Court ruling that decriminalised queer sex was widely celebrated. Judges and petitioners framed the move as India “decolonising itself” of British legislation and beliefs. Based on an examination of the 495-pages long judgement, researcher Jason Fernandes shares with us that the court’s framing is simplistic and limited. Rather than rupture the Brahmanical nationalist project, the judgement buttresses an “ideal citizen subject of the Indian nation-state.”
The insights he will share are based on an article he published in the EPW on 4 January 2020 titled “Probing into the Freedoms of Queer Liberation in India.”
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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Apr 6, 2020
#1: What Interventions are Most Effective to Address Domestic Violence?
Do crises centers, that are located in every district in the country, cater to the needs of women who have experienced domestic violence? Two researchers, Shireen J Jejeebhoy and K G Santhya, aim to understand not just whether violence has reduced after women reach out to crises centers, but also if women's overall well being has improved. We'll learn about why institutional methods largely fail women, the normalisation of violence against women by men, and changes that can reduce violence and improve women's wellbeing.
They will be sharing insights based on their article published in the EPW on 20 April, 2019 "Access to Facilities for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence: Impact on Well-being and Experience of Further Violence."
Audio courtesy: Night Owl by Broke For Free [CC BY 3.0]
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