Synopsis: Edward Said’s groundbreaking work ‘Orientalism’ critically analyses the western construction and interpretation of the orient, its subsequent biases, and imperialist tendencies What is Orientalism? The orient refers to eastern (most often colonized nations), most notably the Middle East and all of Asia. Edward Said’s most prominent work ‘Orientalism (1978)’ which set the foundation for … Read more
Indology: As one of the most diverse places on the planet, there have been numerous attempts at examining the history and culture of India. The study of Indology uses an academic approach to dive deeper into the complex structural framework within which the people of India live, and which creates the base of their history. … Read more
ABSTRACT: The phrase ‘modernization in India’ has generated years’ worth of contentions and debates within academic circles. Perhaps it was with this view that renowned sociologist, Yogendra Singh (1973) wrote the book titled ‘Modernization of Indian Traditions (A Systematic Study of Social Change)’ As promised in its preface, the book offers valuable insights about not … Read more
Unearthing the Emergence and Journey Sociology in India: From a Biased, Prejudiced Opinion to a Flourishing Academic Discipline Sociology came about as an academic discipline post World War 1, however, it was initially faced by neglect and prejudices. It gained prominence post-independence when new bouts of nationalist and anti-colonial thoughts ensued, as a result of … Read more
Leftist writers: ‘The left’ is a broad term that describes a set of politics and ideologies that advocate egalitarianism or state control of the major institutions of political and economic life (Editors of Encyclopedia, 2020). Historically, the divide between left and right can be traced back to the seating arrangements French National Assembly during the … Read more
Shyamji Krishna Varma was born in the year 1857 and completed his primary education from the current day state of Gujarat before heading on to teach Sanksrit at Oxford University, He was also well versed with the law as a subject and frequently shuttled between the two countries alternating roles between learning and building a … Read more
The caste system in India is the basis for the hierarchical division of society and the elements of it facilitate inequality. Attempts have been made to define the institution but due to its variance in society, a concrete definition is yet to be reached. M.N. Srinivas describes the caste system as “a hereditary, usually localised … Read more
