Religious Polarisation and the Erosion of Secularism in India
India’s constitutional commitment to secularism has undergone a profound crisis in recent decades. What was once envisioned as a pluralistic ethos—ensuring state neutrality and equal respect for all religions—has increasingly been hollowed out by political majoritarianism, cultural nationalism, and institutional complicity. The rise of religious polarisation, particularly anti-Muslim sentiment, represents not merely a social fault […]
Adivasi Displacement and the Crisis of Development in India
In postcolonial India, the narrative of development has often masked a violent undercurrent—one that systematically displaces and disenfranchises Adivasi communities. Despite constitutional protections under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules and the recognition of tribal rights through legislation like the Forest Rights Act (2006), Adivasis remain among the most marginalised populations in the country. Their lands, […]
Gender and Informal Labour: The Feminisation of Precarity in India
The intersection of gender and labour in India unveils a paradox: while economic liberalisation has expanded opportunities in certain sectors, it has simultaneously entrenched precarity, especially for women. The overwhelming concentration of female workers in the informal economy—constituting over 90% of India’s female workforce—demonstrates a structural failure of both policy and social reform to secure […]
Caste and the Persistence of Social Stratification in Contemporary India
Despite constitutional abolition and legal protections, caste continues to structure everyday social relations in India. The illusion of a post-caste society, often espoused by neoliberal and developmentalist narratives, fails to confront the deep-rooted material and symbolic violence perpetuated by caste hierarchies. This endurance is not accidental but systematically reproduced through socio-economic institutions, electoral politics, and […]