Naveen Prasad Alex writes about Poikayil Appachan’s radical vision of caste abolition, memory, and unity—revealing the revolutionary potential of PRDS in reshaping Kerala’s subaltern history.
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Tag: social movements
Unveiling Women’s Leadership in The Kerala Renaissance
Popular readings of modern history in Kerala tend to focus on the many male leaders who led struggles for social justice. Naveen brings to light less-known incidents from these struggles to shine a light on the leadership of women in the struggles for caste and gender justice.
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[Podcast] Rethinking ‘Keraleeyatha’: Clothing and the Politics of the Body
We wrap up this season of our podcasts with Malavika Binny and Rekha Raj. In this episode, we explore how clothing, and by extension, the body itself, have been both sites of violence and protest in Kerala, and closely tied to questions of class and caste.
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‘Everything Old is New Again’: Telling the Story of the Sabarimala Battle
In anticipation of Deepa Das Acevedo’s forthcoming book, The Battle for Sabarimala: Religion, Law, and Gender in Contemporary India (Oxford University Press, forthcoming), Ala spoke to Deepa about the nuances of the case, and the meeting of the old and the new in this heavily mediatised legal battle for women’s entry into a temple.
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Fishers’ Rights and The Vizhinjam Protests: The Politics of Coastal Commons
Why are the state and the public unwilling to accept the hereditary rights of the protesting fisher community at Vizhinjam? In answer, the protests must be located within broader histories and discussions. Ala presents a translation of Sindhu and Robin’s article on the Vizhinjam protests first published in our September 2022 issue.
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The Dewan and The Reformer: Sir C. P. Ramaswami Aiyer on Sree Narayana Guru
Historian and writer Uma Maheswari shares selected excerpts of a speech delivered by Sir. C.P. Ramaswami Aiyer in 1942 about Sree Narayana Guru, his teachings, and caste reforms.
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Ala Podcast: LGBTQIA+ ആക്ടിവിസത്തിൻറെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാഠങ്ങൾ
ഈ പോഡ്കാസ്റ്റിൽ അലയോടൊപ്പം സംവദിക്കുന്നത് ബാംഗ്ലൂരിലെ മലയാളി LGBTQIA ആക്ടിവിസ്റ്റായ സുനിൽ മോഹൻ ആണ്. രണ്ടു ദശാബ്ദങ്ങളോളമുള്ള തൻ്റെ പൊതുപ്രവർത്തനത്തിലെ അനുഭവങ്ങൾ, കേരളത്തിലെ LGBTQIA രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ സങ്കീർണ്ണതകൾ എന്നീ വിഷയങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചു സുനിൽ സംസാരിക്കുന്നു.
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A Walk to the River: The Ecological Sensibilities of Kerala’s Kadar Tribe
Meera M. Panicker offers us a glimpse into Kadar ways of life, and how their everyday practices and their battles[…]
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Revisiting the Temple Entry Movement in Kerala
The Temple Entry Proclamation is considered a pivotal moment in Kerala renaissance. Jenny Rowena delves into lesser known facets of the temple entry movement to interrogate the Malayalee consensus about the movement as one which granted rights to oppressed lower castes and ushered in a renaissance period in Kerala.
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A Healthy Brew: Public Spaces and Deliberation in Kerala
Historically, public spaces have played a pivotal role in subverting traditional structures and shaping Kerala’s political culture. Harikrishnan reflects on some such spaces in contemporary times, and their digital adaptations.
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