Avishek Chanda | Jawaharlal Nehru University (original) (raw)

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Books by Avishek Chanda

Research paper thumbnail of The Advent of 'Information Society'? : Tracing the Contemporary Developments with Regard to Privacy in India

Relocating Contemporary Politics: Issues and Challenges, 2019

We are living in the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution that marks the beginning of the 'Informa... more We are living in the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution that marks the beginning of the 'Information Society' where 'Data' is the 'New Oil'. We are surrounded by innumerable digital gadgets and state-of-the art communication systems leading to the generation of gigantic amount of data. The information society brings about change at the most fundamental level of society by initiating a new mode of production-labour and capital; the central variables of the industrial society get replaced by information and knowledge. India, along with the rest of the world, has witnessed a plethora of significant developments pertaining to rapid technological adaption leading to an outbreak of privacy issues in the contemporary times. Against this backdrop, there should be a critical academic scrutiny of the existing privacy discourses to appreciate the future of the notion of right-bearing individual claiming privacy.

Conference Presentations by Avishek Chanda

Research paper thumbnail of REVIEWING THE MIGRANT ISSUE : BORDER AND PEOPLE IN INDO-BANGLADESH RELATIONS

Avishek Chanda, 2020

Despite occasional ups and downs, India and Bangladesh have maintained friendly relations since t... more Despite occasional ups and downs, India and Bangladesh have maintained friendly relations since the latter begun its journey as an independent nation in 1971. These two South Asian neighbouring states are home to various linguistic and religious communities that are spread across borders. It has been difficult for both states to manage the porous border effectively resulting into unregulated cross-border people's movement which often evokes adverse and violent reaction from the indigenous community. Both States have sometimes engaged in mutual blame game with regard to illegal migration and illicit trade along the border. This has popped up as a serious non-traditional security threat which frequently triggers the 'securitization' and 'identity' narratives. In order to sustain friendly relations between these neighbours, this issue must be dealt with promptly with great care and understanding for mutual interest keeping Bangladesh's potential importance in BIMSTEC and Act East policy in mind.

Research paper thumbnail of New Nationalism in India: Identifying the Broad Contours

Avishek Chanda, 2021

Since the BJP-led NDA Government was elected to office in 2014, India seems to have been experien... more Since the BJP-led NDA Government was elected to office in 2014, India seems to have been experiencing a new brand of nationalism with renewed vigour: Hindutva. The constitutional secularism is being countered by a new Hindu-nationalist narrative trying to overshadow it. The earlier inclusive, civic nationalist brand is facing challenge from the ethnic, jingoistic majoritarian nationalism. A systematic academic scrutiny of this new development is an imperative. The study will expressly seek to address the following research question: What are the broad contours that characterise New Nationalism in India? Prima facie, a number of broad contours of this new nationalism can be identified-political Hinduism, obsession with national security and militarism, otherisation of minorities and dissidents, loath for liberal values as well as cultural diversity, glorification of a strong personality along with the pitch for a strong State and homogenized national unity, use of sophisticated technology for propaganda, agenda of religion-based citizenship through CAB and NRC, a new emerging paradigm of political common sense and so on. The aim of this research is to identify such broad contours in order to theorize the contemporary developments in India so as to anticipate the consequences for peace and regional stability in South Asia. A constructivist approach, coupled with Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), is appropriate to trace these broad contours. Discourse includes ways of combining and integrating language, actions, interactions, and ways of thinking, believing, valuing, and using various symbols, tools, and objects to enact a particular sort of socially recognizable identity. Discursive power, control over discourse, is a crucial constituent of social power and a major means of reproducing dominance and hegemony. People tend to accept beliefs, knowledge and opinions through discourse. CDA would help unravel the reality of Hindutva discourse in the 21st century Indian context. An analysis of relevant speeches and actions of the involved actors collected from various print, electronic and social media would be undertaken. Thus the variant of New Nationalism being witnessed in India can be made sense of.

Drafts by Avishek Chanda

Research paper thumbnail of WAS RAMMOHUN A FEMINIST? HISTORICIZING THE MAN AND HIS MOVEMENT

Avishek Chanda, 2022

The nineteenth century Bengal was at the crossroads of tradition and (colonial) modernity. This i... more The nineteenth century Bengal was at the crossroads of tradition and (colonial) modernity. This is a transition phase in history that wombed the germs of progressive thinking. Rammohun Roy embodies this tectonic shift in his personality and reform works. Scholars differ when it comes to the characterization of this luminary and his movement. Historical figures are often judged employing contemporary values and frameworks leading to an incomplete and vague understanding of historical reality. To be fair to the person, the prevailing socio-historical conditions at that time must be factored in before putting any label on him. Historicization would be an intellectually honest way to assess whether Roy was a feminist. His endeavour must be appreciated in its entirety.

Research paper thumbnail of The Advent of 'Information Society'? : Tracing the Contemporary Developments with Regard to Privacy in India

Relocating Contemporary Politics: Issues and Challenges, 2019

We are living in the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution that marks the beginning of the 'Informa... more We are living in the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution that marks the beginning of the 'Information Society' where 'Data' is the 'New Oil'. We are surrounded by innumerable digital gadgets and state-of-the art communication systems leading to the generation of gigantic amount of data. The information society brings about change at the most fundamental level of society by initiating a new mode of production-labour and capital; the central variables of the industrial society get replaced by information and knowledge. India, along with the rest of the world, has witnessed a plethora of significant developments pertaining to rapid technological adaption leading to an outbreak of privacy issues in the contemporary times. Against this backdrop, there should be a critical academic scrutiny of the existing privacy discourses to appreciate the future of the notion of right-bearing individual claiming privacy.

Research paper thumbnail of REVIEWING THE MIGRANT ISSUE : BORDER AND PEOPLE IN INDO-BANGLADESH RELATIONS

Avishek Chanda, 2020

Despite occasional ups and downs, India and Bangladesh have maintained friendly relations since t... more Despite occasional ups and downs, India and Bangladesh have maintained friendly relations since the latter begun its journey as an independent nation in 1971. These two South Asian neighbouring states are home to various linguistic and religious communities that are spread across borders. It has been difficult for both states to manage the porous border effectively resulting into unregulated cross-border people's movement which often evokes adverse and violent reaction from the indigenous community. Both States have sometimes engaged in mutual blame game with regard to illegal migration and illicit trade along the border. This has popped up as a serious non-traditional security threat which frequently triggers the 'securitization' and 'identity' narratives. In order to sustain friendly relations between these neighbours, this issue must be dealt with promptly with great care and understanding for mutual interest keeping Bangladesh's potential importance in BIMSTEC and Act East policy in mind.

Research paper thumbnail of New Nationalism in India: Identifying the Broad Contours

Avishek Chanda, 2021

Since the BJP-led NDA Government was elected to office in 2014, India seems to have been experien... more Since the BJP-led NDA Government was elected to office in 2014, India seems to have been experiencing a new brand of nationalism with renewed vigour: Hindutva. The constitutional secularism is being countered by a new Hindu-nationalist narrative trying to overshadow it. The earlier inclusive, civic nationalist brand is facing challenge from the ethnic, jingoistic majoritarian nationalism. A systematic academic scrutiny of this new development is an imperative. The study will expressly seek to address the following research question: What are the broad contours that characterise New Nationalism in India? Prima facie, a number of broad contours of this new nationalism can be identified-political Hinduism, obsession with national security and militarism, otherisation of minorities and dissidents, loath for liberal values as well as cultural diversity, glorification of a strong personality along with the pitch for a strong State and homogenized national unity, use of sophisticated technology for propaganda, agenda of religion-based citizenship through CAB and NRC, a new emerging paradigm of political common sense and so on. The aim of this research is to identify such broad contours in order to theorize the contemporary developments in India so as to anticipate the consequences for peace and regional stability in South Asia. A constructivist approach, coupled with Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), is appropriate to trace these broad contours. Discourse includes ways of combining and integrating language, actions, interactions, and ways of thinking, believing, valuing, and using various symbols, tools, and objects to enact a particular sort of socially recognizable identity. Discursive power, control over discourse, is a crucial constituent of social power and a major means of reproducing dominance and hegemony. People tend to accept beliefs, knowledge and opinions through discourse. CDA would help unravel the reality of Hindutva discourse in the 21st century Indian context. An analysis of relevant speeches and actions of the involved actors collected from various print, electronic and social media would be undertaken. Thus the variant of New Nationalism being witnessed in India can be made sense of.

Research paper thumbnail of WAS RAMMOHUN A FEMINIST? HISTORICIZING THE MAN AND HIS MOVEMENT

Avishek Chanda, 2022

The nineteenth century Bengal was at the crossroads of tradition and (colonial) modernity. This i... more The nineteenth century Bengal was at the crossroads of tradition and (colonial) modernity. This is a transition phase in history that wombed the germs of progressive thinking. Rammohun Roy embodies this tectonic shift in his personality and reform works. Scholars differ when it comes to the characterization of this luminary and his movement. Historical figures are often judged employing contemporary values and frameworks leading to an incomplete and vague understanding of historical reality. To be fair to the person, the prevailing socio-historical conditions at that time must be factored in before putting any label on him. Historicization would be an intellectually honest way to assess whether Roy was a feminist. His endeavour must be appreciated in its entirety.