Drought is threatening the North-Eastern states of India as climate change, deforestation, and land degradation take their toll. The author recommends a slew of measures to combat the approaching disaster, such as better water resource management, sustainable land use practices, climate adaptation measures, and community-based resilience building.
Full Text PDFThe Manipur government’s intense drive to destroy poppy plantations under its ‘War on Drugs’ campaign since 2018 has, to an extent, borne some good results. The proximity of the state to the Golden Triangle and the 398 km porous border that the state shares with Myanmar, accounts for the illicit cultivation of poppy. The transformation of the state from a hotspot on the drug trafficking route to a drug producing state is highly alarming. An effective measure to prevent the illicit cultivation of poppy is to enable the hill tribes to earn adequate income from the centuries old practice of “shifting cultivation” (jhum or slash and burn) by modernizing this ancient practice. The state government’s development programs in the hill areas need to be sincerely implemented. This can become a way of weaning the hill tribes off poppy cultivation.
Full Text PDFThe Meitei Pangals, a Muslim ethnic and religious minority existing within the predominantly Hindu Meitei and tribal ethnic groups of the state of Manipur, has historically contributed to the state’s rich tapestry of cultural, social, and political life. This research article analyzes archival and secondary sources to unravel their unique cultural heritage, language, religious practices, and the traditional customs shaping their identity in a diverse state. It studies their political engagement, including representation, participation, and social standing. And it addresses the phenomenon of scapegoating, stereotyping, and marginalization of the Meitei Pangals within the current political landscape of Manipur. By integrating historical context with contemporary issues, the article presents an understanding of the social standing of the Meitei Pangals amid ethnic conflict.
Full Text PDFThis study explores the folkloric tales of two different cultures—German fairy tales (märchen) and Kuki tribal tales (thusim), on the premise that comparisons celebrate diversity and lead to the discovery of valuable insights about another culture’s values, beliefs, history, and customs. Fairy tales and tribal tales reveal the gap between truth and falsehood in society. Since these two cultural groups have no known historical connection, comparing their tales can help identify which story elements are unique to each culture—shaped by their specific values and beliefs—and which elements are universal, reflecting shared human experiences across societies. The study also highlights the aspects of indigenous folktales (of cultural minorities) that are often absent or overlooked in the folktales of mainstream cultures. The findings reveal, first, that cultural background significantly influences how individuals interpret stories, shaping their understanding of characters, events, and moral lessons. Second, they highlight the critical role of embedded schematic knowledge—culturally ingrained frameworks and expectations—in aiding story comprehension and meaning-making.
This research article investigates the role of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) in providing education to Rohingya children in refugee camp of Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh—the largest refugee camp in the world. Through on-the-ground interviews and observation, the author recommends establishing additional Learning Centers, securing funding and human resources, prohibiting child labor through guardian education, ensuring pedagogical duties, addressing begging, and prioritizing health. The study finds examples of both success and partial success in the provision of education to the refugee children, and points to the work remaining to be done.
Full Text PDFThis study investigates the mutual armed training between the Islamist Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS) and the Christian Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in Bangladesh. It uses a mixed-methods approach with content analysis and applies political and network theories of terrorism to understand the extent and reasons behind their collaboration. The findings show a cycle where mutual armed training boosts both groups’ ability for violence. This research study brings to light the factors fueling their collaboration, providing important insights to tackle a growing threat.
Full Text PDFMetamodernism, as described by Vermeulen and van den Akker, is a “structure of feeling” that describes the contemporary cultural moment. They view metamodernism as a neo-Romantic “structure of feeling” that oscillates between modernity and postmodernity. This is exemplified in contemporary works like the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once, and in the stand-up comedy of Norm Macdonald. Both works share a commitment to an ethics of care, invoking acts of necessity through messages urging kindness and love, and contribute to our understanding of the metamodern “structure of feeling” by advocating and embodying these sentiments.
Full Text PDFThis article investigates the role of documentary film in social activism, particularly in countering official ideological control and advancing human rights causes, using Myanmar Diaries (2022) as a case study. First, the article uses Myanmar Diaries and transnational protest art as a case study to understand the historical context of the junta’s dictatorship in Myanmar. Second, the article examines trauma cinema and its audiovisual techniques by comparing three films from developing countries in Asia and Latin America: Dheepan (2015) from Sri Lanka, Chile, Obstinate Memory (1997) from Chile, and Surname Viet Given Name Nam (1989) from Vietnam. Third, the article concludes that trauma cinema, when integrated with activism, can effectively provide additional support for instigating social transformation.
Full Text PDFDrawing on Chinese literature and philosophy from the West, this article seeks to redefine and complicate the notion of hesitation, aiming to foreground our understanding of hesitation beyond the mere concept of indecision, broadening it to an interval filled with consciousness and affective forces. This article elaborates on the manifestations of hesitation in Chinese cinema by delving into films such as Chungking Express (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000), Still Life (2006), Peacock (2005), and Spring Fever (2009). These films artfully illustrate hesitant gestures where protagonists—immersed in indeterminacy and affect—find themselves trapped in a realm of suspension and ambiguity. In conclusion, this paper contends that hesitation should not be seen as just a simple suspension, but an intense affectivity that may be amorphous, and can be felt through cinema.
Full Text PDFThe onset of the twentieth century witnessed a notable surge in cinematic realism, spurred by the contributions of André Bazin and Siegfried Kracauer in the 1930s. This movement profoundly influenced filmmakers worldwide, as seen in Kim Ki-young’s The Housemaid (1960) and Satyajit Ray’s Charulata (1964). These filmmakers share commonalities in their approaches, reflected in elements such as mise-en-scène and character portrayal. However, a gap persists in scholarly discourse regarding social realism and women’s depiction in their oeuvres. This research study employs qualitative methodology to explore these factors, focusing on female character portrayal through Freudian psychoanalysis. A comparison of The Housemaid and Charulata reveals how social dynamics shape narratives, highlighting class disparities and gender roles, and offering insights into human relationships within diverse cultural contexts.
Full Text PDFDwi Noverini Djenar and Jack Sidnell (eds.), Signs of Deference, Signs of Demeanour: Interlocutor Reference and Self-Other Relations across Southeast Asia Speech Communities (Singapore: National University of Singapore Press, 2023), 260 pages, SGD 52 / US$48.
