What our anthems say
South Asia’s national anthems are patriotic rather than nationalistic.
Courtesy: Indian Express
Courtesy: Indian Express
Courtesy: Homen Biswas/Wikimedia
India: the East has Peace
As India celebrates its Independence Day, security situation on eastern borders is gradually moving towards stability with experiments in peace making focused on resolving insurgencies and border management. These experiments coupled with the sub-regional economic initiatives potentially put eastern region on the path of prosperity.
Courtesy: Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun
Will Myanmar return to its violent past?
The Thein Sein government’s initial successes in Myanmar have eroded, as it vacillates between reform and a return to an authoritarian past. The violent suppression of student protestors this month will further impact the president’s re-election later this year. But will a new government continue the reforms and honour peace agreements with ethnic groups?
Courtesy: rediff.com
AAP, Occupy and the Arab Spring
There is an emerging consensus among scholars and political analysts across the world that the 20th century advances in building democratic systems have run their course. It is in this context that AAP’s rapid rise to power might serve as a light-house of global significance—a beacon that guides others seeking to take democracy to a higher level and warns of treacherous rocks
Courtesy: inbministry.blogspot.com
Public messaging for a new Delhi
It’s time to change India’s bad habits. A historic opportunity to alter social behavior was lost in 2012 after the Delhi rape case. What better place to make amends and reignite youthful energies than the new, citizen-centric AAP in Delhi 2015?
Courtesy: khabrsoutheastasia
War and Peace
The Islamic State’s violence dominated 2014’s news headlines, masking important non-violent initiatives around the world. But endeavors for peaceful solutions are thriving, and India, with its legacy of a non-violent freedom struggle, must contribute to this process as a counter-force against the advocates of violence
Courtesy: Springtimeofnations.blogspot
Umbrella movement’s symbolic dilemma
The protests in Hong Kong portray a grim future for Beijing's 'one country, two systems' policy. But do the constructively-inclined, young campaigners need a new set of symbols, signs and ideologies to differentiate themselves from the feeble-minded followers of the merely hostile?
Courtesy: paula bronstein/getty images/file
Buddhist-Muslim violence in Myanmar
An alarming pattern of complicity of the government officials in the anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar are emerging. This trend is detrimental for emerging democracy and gives rise to the question that these cases are a diversionary tactic to draw the attention away from the real issue of stalling democratic reforms
Courtesy: arabia.msn.com
The dilemmas of civil disobedience
The right to be heard and to dissent is crucial in a democracy but they come with responsibilities. The current anti-government protests are being mobilised by partisan-players with a political stake and could jeopardise Pakistan’s hard-won democracy
Courtesy: Wikimedia\Commons
Economic security and globalised protest
The allegations that certain foreign-funded NGOs are hurting national economic security are not new. However, the Intelligence Bureau’s claim that they have held back India’s GNP growth has been challenged. There is now a need for economic security to be defined holistically through open and democratic discourse