ARGUMENTATIVE INDIANS PODCAST

SYNOPSIS:
“The causes of #climatechange  are clear. Developed countries have appropriated the Earth’s atmospheric space by emitting the vast majority of historical #greenhouse  gas emissions, while they only represent 20% of the world’s population...The way to solve the #climatecrisis  in a fair, effective, and scientifically sound way is to honor #climatedebt .”

This statement from the Universal Declaration for the Rights of Mother Earth, drafted at the People’s Conference and hosted by former Bolivian President Evo Morales, echoes what has been a subject of discussion globally - Are the poor, developing and vulnerable nations owed climate reparations by the developed west?

As climate change impacts accelerate, it can be expected that the costs and burdens of climate change will disproportionately impact those who have been rendered most vulnerable given the accumulated weight of history. Amongst the two facets of #climatejustice  - redistribution and corrective justice, the latter has been met with much opposition by the Global North. The developing countries argue that the rich nations, owing to historical opportunities, have had the lion’s share in using resources to pursue economic growth and thereby contribute to unchecked global pollution. And thus, they have an obligation, not least to provide compensation for the high costs that #globalwarming  warming and climate change have already imposed on the developing and vulnerable nations.

However, the Global North has consistently dismissed the suggestion, with the notion that the corrective justice argument conflates current generations with past generations. Another counterargument is that a full accounting of all the historical benefits accrued to the poor and developing countries due to the developed Global North may paint a completely different picture.

While the proposed Green Climate Fund with its ambitious goals is yet to fully take off, time is running out for those who are positioned at the forefront against climate change. Urgent corrective action - reparations and restitution may well be the last hope for many threatened and vulnerable communities worldwide. Will the global leadership forge a consensus on the way ahead or will the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ remain limited to just lip service?


SPEAKERS:

1.Dr. Navroz K Dubash:
  Professor at the Centre for Policy Research, where he conducts research and writes on climate change, energy, air pollution, water policy, and the politics of regulation in the developing world.   

2. Dr. Benoit Mayer
Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK LAW).

3. Joe Thwaites
International Climate Finance Advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

4. Esther Stanford-Xosei
Reparationist, Jurisconsult, Community Advocate, Educator, and an emerging Ourstorian of the International Social Movement for Afrikan Reparations.

5. Stuti Mishra
India correspondent for The Independent with a special focus on the climate crisis and economy. 



DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in ou

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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

 SPEAKER:
Devdutt Pattanaik writes on relevance of mythology in modern times. He is also a speaker, illustrator and author, on Hindu sacred lore, legends, folklore, fables and parables. He has written books on the relevance of sacred stories, symbols and rituals. His more popular books include Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology; Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata; and Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana and My Gita.

SYNOPSIS:
The recent political storm over MP Mahua Moitra’s comments on Kali soon followed by another political controversy around The Week magazine publishing on its cover a 200 year old Kangra painting of shiva  & #Kali  brought the national attention on the many varied ways in which the goddess is imagined, understood and worshipped across the subcontinent.

To some she is a loving mother, to some a ferocious warrior #goddess  . She is associated with cremation grounds and believed to symbolise death. And yet she also represents the creation of life and the universe. Some believe she is the manifestation of the ultimate reality, the “#brahman  ”.  Then there are those who see in her a rule-breaking feminist icon.

Even the #ancientindia   texts don’t seem to agree. At one end we are told that she emerged from Shiva to slay the demons and on the other she is herself “#adishakti ”, the supreme power.

Literature tells us that she is timeless and formless. Yet the visual depictions of her form have evoked awe, horror and reverence among millions for centuries.

While in many parts of India her worship still involves liquor or meat or blood, to vast swathes of Indians unaware of this, even the mention of such substances in association with the #devi  is nothing less than sacrilege.

Today we have invited one of the most knowledgeable scholars of Indian #mythology  to help us unravel the perplexing iconography, legends and practices associated with the ever more intriguing goddess Kali!


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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SPEAKER:
Sharif is an author; communications consultant; a curator focused on diversity, inclusion, music and arts, and a singer – songwriter. With over 25 years of experience in the fields of media, publishing, research and public relations, he uses talks, writing, event curation and music, to advocate change and garner support for the LGBTQ+ community. The various hats he wears and the roles he plays, led him to create the Rainbow Lit Fest – Queer & Inclusive, of which he is the Festival Director. He is also the curator of Embrace: Music Justice Arts and the frontman of the band – Friends of Linger. His book, Straight to Normal – My Life As A Gay Man, released early 2019, is amongst the few queer memoirs out of India and the first since the reading down of Section 377

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Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SPEAKER:
Miguel is the Founder of UTSAH, a prominent Child Rights agency based in Assam, in North-East India. Miguel is the youngest Member of the Kamrup Metropolitan Child Labour Task Force Committee and Child Protection Committee of the Government of Assam. He is the Government appointed Support Person to survivors of child sexual abuse in Assam. Miguel plays a crucial role in regional and national consultative and policy-making processes on children's rights.

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Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SPEAKER:
Shivshankar Menon is an Indian diplomat, who served as National Security Adviser of India under Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. He had previously served as the Foreign Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Prior to that he was Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and ambassador to China and Israel. He is currently Visiting Professor of International Relations at Ashoka University. A major milestone of his career was the Indo-US nuclear deal, for which he had worked hard to convince NSG member nations along with Shyam Saran to get a clean waiver for nuclear supplies to India. Author of "Choices: Inside the Making of India's Foreign Policy" and "India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present"

SYNOPSIS:
I would describe the current situation as work in progress, obviously at a slower pace than desirable” - this statement by Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar after meeting with Chinese FM Wang Yi earlier this year encapsulates the #Sino-Indian relations.
 
60 years since the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962, the key areas of friction and disputes remain unresolved. What has changed though is #china  ’s standing – she is seen no longer just as a regional hegemon but a global #superpower  . 
 
China’s meteoric #economic  rise and soaring #military  might has empowered her to adopt an increasingly confrontational #foreignpolicy . In recent years she has taken a much more aggressive attitude in defending its claims (over Japan, Korera, Phillipines), bullied International organizations and corporations into not recognizing #taiwan  as a country, cavalierly dismissed western condemnation of its anti-democratic policies in #hongkong  and gross violations of human rights in #xinjiang  and #tibet  . The border with India that had been peaceful for decades despite the disagreements has now become militarized.
 
All of this together is generally interpreted as China’s attempts to reshape the global order. Is China likely to succeed in its attempts and turn the 21st century into what many have already started calling as the “Chinese Century”? If yes, what is this China-dominated world likely to look like and would it allow enough room for India to thrive and pursue its strategic goals? On the other hand, if China fails on its own accord or is stifled by the western alliance, what would it mean for India to have an extremely powerful and disgruntled neighbour to its north that sees India as one its adversaries?

#china #indochinese #indochinafaceoff #indochinaborder #foreignpolicy #masterclass #lecture #indiachinatalks #indiandiplomacy #politics #nationalsecurity #shivshankarmenon 

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Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians do not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in any way responsible for the stance, words, and comments of our guests.

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SYNOPSIS:
Several #humanrights  organisations including #amnestyinternational  which released the report- ‘Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians: a Cruel System of Domination and a Crime Against Humanity’ have concluded that Israel’s governance of occupied #palestinian  territory amounts to the crime of #apartheid  under international law.

#israel  has been accused of considering the #palestinians  as a demographic threat and imposing measures to control and decrease their presence and access to land in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Critics say that these demographic aims are well illustrated by official plans to “Judaize” areas of Israel and the #westbank , including East #jerusalem  , which continue to put thousands of Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer.

Israel has also been accused of running a campaign of ‘Oppression without borders’ and treating the Palestinians as ‘lesser citizens’ through codified laws and statutes.

However, Israel and her partner allies have vehemently refuted these accusations. Pro-Israel voices defend saying that Israel is a multi-racial and multi-coloured society and the #arabminority actively participates in the political process. Incitement to racism in Israel is a criminal offence, as is discrimination on the basis of race or religion.

Pro-Israel voices also point to the fact that there isn’t a single Jewish community living anywhere under Palestinian control. This isn’t because of #jewish  preferences. Jewish communities exist across the world; they would certainly exist 10 minutes from Jerusalem if it weren’t for the Palestinian Authority’s policies of excluding Jews and inciting violence and prejudice against them. Palestinian law makes selling land to Jews a crime punishable by death, often without trial. Nor does the authority recognize any Jewish titles to private property. In Israel, by contrast,  assert its supporters, Arabs enjoy full property rights, enforced by the courts.

SPEAKERS:

1. Akshaya Kumar -
Akshaya Kumar is the Director of Crisis Advocacy at Human Rights Watch. She oversees the organization’s advocacy response to emergencies and develops innovative strategies to respond to evolving crises. Kumar joined HRW as Deputy United Nations Director in 2015 and represented the organization at UN headquarters in New York for four years. She previously worked at the Enough Project where she helped launch The Sentry, an initiative that seeks to freeze war criminals out of the international financial system.

2. Itamar Marcus
Itamar Marcus is a researcher and the founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch. which studies Palestinian society by monitoring and analyzing the Palestinian Authority (PA) through its media and schoolbooks. His work on textbooks led Benyamin Netanyahu to appoint Marcus to represent his country in the negotiations with the Palestinians on inciteme

3. Abhijit Iyer Mitra

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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SPEAKER:
Dr. Richard Alba is  an American sociologist, who is a Distinguished Professor at the Graduate Center, CUNY.He is known for developing assimilation theory to fit the contemporary, multi-racial era of immigration, with studies in America, France, and Germany. Alba's text on assimilation theory (written with Victor Nee), Remaking the American Mainstream (2003) won the Thomas & Znaniecki Award of the American Sociological Association and the Eastern Sociological Society’s Mirra Komarovsky Award. It was the 36th most-cited work in sociology between 2008 and 2012. Author of  "Ethnic Identity: The Transformation of White America" (1990), summarizes his thinking on the assimilation of the so-called white ethnics. His "Blurring the Color Line: The New Chance for a More Integrated America" (2009) applied these ideas to non-white Americans. His latest book is  "The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream".

Demographic change and assimilation in the early 21st century
United States - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lKuk...

SYNOPSIS:
While many conspiracy theories are short-lived, there are some that never seem to die, no matter how much contrary evidence is furnished. We have all heard of the holocaust deniers or those who consider climate change to be a hoax or those who insist that the moon landings were fake. Another such theory is that of the ‘Great Replacement’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_R...) that is centred around an elite conspiracy to replace the white population of America with non-whites. While the term itself may be new, the ideas behind this theory have persisted for a long time. In the highly influential book ‘The Passing of the Great Race’ published in 1916, Madison Grant had called whites as an “endangered species”.

The 2020 US Census report came as a confirmation for many adherents of this theory. It revealed that people who identify as “White alone” declined for the first time since the Census began in 1790. Yet more disturbingly for them, majority of Americans under 18 are now people of colour.

Anxieties about the future of the white race are expressed repeatedly by demagogic politicians and popular talkshow hosts, and are further amplified by social media. The Great Replacement Theory has been linked to several mass shootings over the last decade.

We at Argumentative Indians would like to understand what drives this theory, what makes it so prevalent and why has it proved to be so resilient? And finally, is there any truth to it?

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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

SPEAKER
Dr. Khinvraj Jangid is Associate Professor & Director at Centre for Israel Studies, OP Jindal Global University, Delhi. He is leading new research comparing India and Israel through their ideas of nation-building and statehood in post-colonial Asia.

SYNOPSIS
India and Israel present fascinating case study of democracies in deeply divided societies, nationalism and universalism, religion and liberal/secularism polity. Leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and David Ben-Gurion had much in common than acknowledged thus far.

DISCLAIMER
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

EXPLORE MORE
Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

 SPEAKER
Dr. Khinvraj Jangid is Associate Professor & Director at Centre for Israel Studies, OP Jindal Global University, Delhi. He is leading new research comparing India and Israel through their ideas of nation-building and statehood in post-colonial Asia.

SYNOPSIS
India and Israel present fascinating case study of democracies in deeply divided societies, nationalism and universalism, religion and liberal/secularism polity. Leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and David Ben-Gurion had much in common than acknowledged thus far.

DISCLAIMER
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

EXPLORE MORE
Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

Dr. Khinvraj Jangid is Associate Professor & Director at Centre for Israel Studies, OP Jindal Global University, Delhi. He is leading new research comparing India and Israel through their ideas of nation-building and statehood in post-colonial Asia.

SYNOPSIS
India and Israel present fascinating case study of democracies in deeply divided societies, nationalism and universalism, religion and liberal/secularism polity. Leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and David Ben-Gurion had much in common than acknowledged thus far.

DISCLAIMER
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and  opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.

EXPLORE MORE
Find out about upcoming sessions and learn how you can join them live and become a part of the conversation - https://www.argumentativeindians.com

Explore More at - www.argumentativeindians.com

DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.