തീരദേശത്തിന്മേലുള്ള തങ്ങളുടെ പരമ്പരാഗതമായ അവകാശങ്ങൾ സ്ഥാപിക്കുവാനായി വിഴിഞ്ഞത്തെ മത്സ്യത്തൊഴിലാളി സമുദായം നടത്തുന്ന സമരം സ്റ്റേറ്റും പൊതുസമൂഹവും അംഗീകരിക്കാൻ വിമുഖത കാണിക്കുന്നതെന്തുകൊണ്ട്? അരികുവത്ക്കരണത്തിന്റെയും പ്രതിരോധത്തിന്റെയും നീണ്ട ചരിത്രത്തിലെ ഒരധ്യായമായി[…]
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Communism, Caste, and the Paradox of the ‘Party Village’ in Kerala
Kerala’s political fortunes and election outcomes have long interested researchers, but the phenomenon of ‘party villages’ and their centrality to electoral democracy in Kerala have been underexplored. Nitasha and Nisar offer us a glimpse into their study of everyday politics in a party village.
Read moreThe Magical Realism of Kummatty (1979)
With renewed global interest in G. Aravindan’s 1979 film, Kummatty, Amal Nath Rajeevan revisits the film to examine the elements of magical realism that imbues it with timeless cinematic pleasure.
Read more[Podcast] Rethinking ‘Keraleeyatha’: Centering Oceanic Histories
In this episode of our ongoing podcast series on Keraleeyatha, we speak with Prof Dilip Menon and Dr Mahmood Kooria about the role of the Indian ocean in shaping the social and political history of Kerala, and revisit the limitations of a ‘terracentric’ idea of modernity and the nation-state.
Read moreWhy Malayalis Love an ‘Inverted Coconut’: Whiteness and Media Influence in Postcolonial Kerala
When foreigners respond positively to what audiences perceive as ‘our’ culture, we feel validated. Soumithra M. S. asks: is this just the pleasure of inter-cultural sharing, or is there more at stake in the popularity of certain media handles and content creators?
Read more[Podcast] Rethinking ‘Keraleeyatha’: Anti-Caste Rhetoric in Medieval Literature
Why do we see ‘modernity’ as something that emerged only in the colonial era? What do the three medieval texts tell us about alternative strands of literature? Why do we mainstream some histories while marginalizing others? In this episode, we discuss these questions with Prof. T.T. Sreekumar.
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APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED Join us for a free two-day writing workshop to learn about the fundamentals of research, writing and[…]
Read moreBrewing Exclusion: Tea Shops and Women in Kerala
Accompanied by original sketches, Gaya Hadiya shares her experiences of chayakkadas in Kerala, highlighting how they reflect the gender, caste and class relations in the region.
Read morePandit P Gopalan Nair and Captain Braithwaite: The Story of an Unlikely Friendship
C.K. Ramachandran writes about an unlikely friendship forged in early-twentieth-century, between Gopalan Nair, a scholar from Malabar, and Philip Braithwaite, an English school inspector.
Read moreWaiting for Mass in Malayalam Cinema
The idea of a ‘mass film’ is an eminently recognisable one in south India, but just what is it? How do we make sense of the aesthetics and feelings that make fans say, ‘nalla mass padam’, and just why is it missing in some recent Malayalam films? Arjun Ramachandran writes.
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