Very interesting commentary on the issue; A perspective from a recent expatriate
The realities of cast and gender are far more alarming in so called developed or states with exceptionally high ranks in Human Development Index of India. This is a reality not only of Kerala but also its neighboring states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well. While the high riding times and misplaced priorities makes a society as a whole withdraw itself from a dialogue on the most historical issues of all - caste and Gender, the reasons for creation of this historical point in time (which has been existence for a while, but brought out by instances like chitrlekha's). One which is trademarked with 'Denial' and addressed through hypocrisy. While we could do the blame game on the politicians and media, we have to understand that they are not different from the citizenry they represent. They could be seen as the emancipated manifestations of realities entrenched in the citizenry. Their actions are guided by the attitudes and actions of individuals which make up this society. While the majority is all that matters to for the power, these manifestations will continue. One has to ask one self, what are the contributions I have made to this situations, knowingly or unknowingly to creation of this situation? When was this 'disease' diagnosed first in the society? What did I do to prevent it from becoming an epidemic? The answers are not simple, like wise are the issues. I am glad there is a point of beginning of discussions. And I assume we did not invent it as well. May be we could look at what are the collaborations we could forge from a neutral (as in political sense) civil society point of view to provide useful resources and thoughts to the next revolution which is long due. On 20 Jul, 02:23, devika <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Dilip and Ranjit > > Reading your exchanges, can't help feeling both you are right -- and maybe > what you're saying isn't so contrary to each other. I agree that moralism > is a poor political strategy -- pointing out that someone else isn't > politically correct will harm the prospects of forming alliances if it is > taken too seriously. But it is indeed a fact that so-called samskaarika > naayakar in Kerala will do anything to grab media attention and many would > bend their knees willingly for political favour! The saamskaarikanaayakar I > mentioned in my earlier mail were eager to see that Pinaraayi and co. > aren't troubled beyond a point by the newspapers. But few of them are > willing to take the trouble to do a regular analysis of what the media has > been doing to public life in recent years. All that is the job of lowly > riff-raff like us! I don't know if you noticed, in the TVM edition of > almost all newspapers, the death of a young woman from a plane crash was > roundly 'celebrated'. OK, I can see that this was a sad incident and the > parents must be going through the worst time of their lives -- but well, > why did the death, the mourning and the funeral take front page space for > 3-4 days? This was the time when the Udayakumar murder trial was going on > -- that was an innocent young man, murdered by the criminalised state -- I > noticed that this didn't make headlines! > > Becoming a public intellectual -- above a 'cultural leader' -- is hard work > -- you can't rest on a couple of passable novels, or a score good short > stories written ten years back. That job isn't enjoyable as it involves > intense focus on the public, the ability to retain one's critical relation > with the state. No wonder this govt has put several 'potential public > intellectuals' in Kerala into various committees of cultural and > literary committees of the state -- this is probably a move to curb that > potential (certainly not foolproof!). > > And knowledge that has critical potential is sidelined in subtle ways .To > talk of a field I know, history, mainstream historians in Kerala seem to be > mesmerized by the ancient and medieval wonders of Kerala. Well, there's > nothing wrong with studying either of these, but these are times when > history has been recognized as a powerful tool that can make the present > less self-present, the silence about any critical history writing on > modernity -- on the various axes of power that were shaped in modernity and > continue to inform contemporary life here -- is curious indeed. As for the > bunch of us doing gender history, the history of modern caste oppression, > and others, we have all been safely deported to the realm of cultural > studies! No wonder, then, when the KCHR conducted a major seminar it stuck > with the now-obsolete 1960s habit of differentiating history into 'social', > 'cultural', 'political' and 'economic'! I was promptly slotted in the > 'social' and since my work is also political (it looks at gender politics), > cultural (deals with the realm of discourse), besides bein relevant to both > 'social' and 'economic', I chose to opt out. > > There is no way out except through building alliances with others located > outside Kerala -- all given the strength of the diaspora and the fact that > many located outside are more sensitive to non-statist politics, it is time > we reverted to the early name 'Malayalam' in preference to 'Keraleeyar' to > refer to ourselves as a people. I don't think ranjit would have worded his > observation with a tinge of moralism if he knew the history of 'cultural > leaders' -- an identity that somehow points to a position beyond > politics,and therefore 'pure', 'interest-free', and a 'neutral arbiter' of > social and political issues. It is indeed a pity that neither ajita or sara > joseph see how they are being depoliticized ....I would die before someone > made me a 'saamskaarika nayika'... > > warmly > Devika --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ greenyouth mailinglist is the activist support mailinglist for kerala To post to this group, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
