Dalits and Dalit Lives in 21st Century India: Towards a New Politics

Edited by Tamanna Priya, Banaras Hindu University, India and Amrit Mishra

August 2024 / ISBN: 979-8-8819-0036-6
Availability: In stock
186pp. ¦ $71 £57 €67

This comprehensive body of work illuminates the new ways to remember caste and comprehend the enduring anguish it has imposed upon individuals across generations, thereby paving the way for a more informed understanding of its profound impact on Dalit lives throughout the annals of time. This work not only adds depth to the existing discourse but also serves as a catalyst for broader understanding and appreciation of the complexities inherent in Dalit experiences and their representation or (mis)representation. In doing so, the volume challenges the traditional social order's ability to address caste-based discrimination effectively and also makes an attempt to find alternative ways to understand the conundrum of caste. It delves into the necessity of alternative discourse, particularly the significance of Dalit discourse, and hence the imperative need for diverse and inclusive discourses. The volume represents the individual voices of the editors and contributors, who are eminent academics, and provides a more holistic approach to the examination of the socio-economic, cultural and political landscape of the Dalit community in contemporary India. Their contribution enriches the current body of literature on Dalit Studies, with a specific focus on the evolving dynamics within politics, academia, popular culture, digital culture, political economy, ideological perspectives, and representation or (mis)representation, among others. The chapters also demonstrate the profound impact of various modern influences on the lives of the younger generation of Dalits. In doing so, it sheds light on how access to information technology, the pervasive use of social media- digital media, the influential role of music and cinema in cultural resistance, and the discourse of protest politics collectively shape the experiences and perspectives of the young Dalit community. This literary work presents an invaluable opportunity for scholars, researchers, and students, and a methodological aid for classroom adoption for discerning readers to immerse themselves in an exploration of a significant community in India and its multifaceted presence within contemporary literature and culture.

Resilience and the Wandering Subject

Edited by Supriya Daniel, IIT Bombay, India and Anu Kuriakose, NIT, Trichy, India

July 2024 / ISBN: 979-8-8819-0035-9
Availability: In stock
144pp. ¦ $69 £55 €64

What are the different contours of defining a subject? How does a subject form in the act of resilience? This multi-author book explores the concept of a wandering subject, especially in the context of resilience. The wandering subject can be understood as an ever-forming subject through different mobilities. This movement is not just the physical movement compelled by a certain agency but also the various mobilities of the selves of the subject, mobilities through spaces, the interconnections formed with other subjects, and the fluidity between the subject/object/spaces at most times compelled by the spirit of resilience. Each chapter of the book delves into the myriad modalities of movement in spaces that are imagined or real. The space is always one of contestation, be it emerging from gender conflict, or that of a nation or a trauma inflicted by war. In this mode of displacement, either physical, emotional or spiritual (and at times, a seepage of all), the subject evolves and defines itself beyond the boundaries of binaries. It questions available definitions of self, subjecthood and identity and prompts one to imagine ways of comprehending and elucidating the concept of subject. In this sense, the book not only illuminates multiple perspectives on the subject but also compels the reader to formulate their own mode of grappling with this complex idea of the subject. It renders itself as an aid to current and future scholars to re-imagine and re-configure the subject.

Magical Feminism in the Americas: Resisting Female Marginalisation and Oppression through Magic

Abu Shahid Abdullah, East West University

ISBN: 979-8-8819-0025-0
Availability: Forthcoming
$63 £50 €59

The book aims to show the way magical feminism resists female marginalisation and oppression in the Americas. Dealing with multiple victimisation of women in the Americas who have suffered not only because of their gender but also their race, ethnicity, political ideology, social status, financial insecurity and such, magical feminism provides a voice to them so that they can speak about their marginalisation and victimisation. In other words, by using magical feminism, these female authors attempt to give a voice to the oppressed women, enabling them to resist and challenge the traditional female role and to raise their voices against various social and political issues. The subversive and transgressive power of magical feminism enables the oppressed women to break patriarchal constraints and to reverse the traditional power structure. By creating an imaginary realm through traditions, local beliefs and rituals, myth, magic and the spirits of the dead ancestors as guides, magical feminist technique functions as a survival strategy for women in traumatic and oppressive situations and provides them consolation. The project includes a total of eight novels from African American (Gloria Naylor’s 'Mama Day'), Latin American (Isabel Allende’s 'The House of the Spirits'), Native American (Louise Erdrich’s 'Tracks'), Chicana (Ana Castillo’s 'So Far from God'), North American (Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s 'The Cure for Death by Lightning'), Central American (Gioconda Belli’s 'The Inhabited Woman'), Hawaiian American (Kiana Davenport’s 'Shark Dialogue's) and Cuban American (Cristina García’s 'Dreaming in Cuban') background.

Hate speech and abusive behaviour on social media: A cross-cultural perspective

Luiz Valério P. Trindade, IPIE – International Panel on the Information Environment, Switzerland

June 2024 / ISBN: 979-8-8819-0024-3
Availability: In stock
132pp. ¦ $53 £42 €49

The adverse societal impacts of social media platforms comprise a subject of global concern, given that this digital technology has become a breeding ground for the manifestation of varied forms of online harassment and abuse. Yet, most studies exploring this phenomenon have done so predominantly in Anglophone social contexts (notably, the US and the UK). Thus, the present work examines hate speech and abusive behaviour adopting an innovative cross-cultural perspective. To this end, the book analyses a sample of 108 scholarly papers originally published in three non-hegemonic languages (Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish) and encompassing 11 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, and Spain). In this context, the development of this study highlights the relevance of considering cultural, historical and linguistic factors when analysing hate speech and abusive behaviour on social media. By confronting and evaluating findings from different countries and languages, the study sheds light on how cultural norms and language use shape the manifestation and impact of online harassment and abuse. Besides, the study also reveals that social media plays the pivotal dual role of catalyst and vehicle for disseminating hate and abuse. As such, they can bring a series of adverse societal impacts upon individuals, vulnerable social groups, society, and democracy. Ultimately, social media platforms allow offenders the capability to unleash and disseminate aggressive and discriminatory ideologies, attracting numerous like-minded people to subvert and disregard any social convention constraints and norms of conviviality. Consequently, one of social media’s most significant negative impacts is the undermining of social cohesion. Therefore, the present book is of interest to students, established scholars, and researchers in various disciplines, including sociology, criminology, media and communication studies, and digital humanities. Moreover, it is recommended reading for policymakers, leaders of non-governmental organisations, educators, journalists, and anyone interested in learning more about social media’s impacts on people’s lives.

The (Dis)Information Age: From Post-Truth to Post-Postmodernism

Jonathan Austad, Brigham Young University-Idaho

August 2024 / ISBN: 979-8-8819-0004-5
Availability: In stock
274pp. ¦ $75 £60 €70

There has yet to be a strong consensus regarding when and if postmodernism ended. As such, there is no agreement about the new age’s name, origins, or tenets. Nealson’s 'Post-Postmodernism: or The Cultural Logic of Just-in-Time Capitalism' leaves out the impact of the internet and social media. Other books fail to explore post-postmodernism within a larger social-political framework and do not examine the cultural trends that have responded to such forces. This book undertakes these complexities by examining the interplay between the sociohistorical events and visual culture of the last two decades and posits that postmodernism ended with the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. Few events have such a tremendous impact on the collective consciousness that they cause immense social, political, and cultural changes, but the terror attacks marked the beginning of a new era filled with greater anxiety and uncertainty. The Bush Administration used news outlets to promote a false narrative and mislead the public, manipulating information to further its agenda and altering the nature and efficacy of mass media and ultimately launching society into an age of disinformation. 'The (Dis)Information Age' is comprised of two main phenomena: post-truth and post-postmodernism. Truth and reality have become increasingly difficult to ascertain in this post-truth world and created increased skepticism towards those in the government and media. The rise of the internet and social media has exacerbated this trend by individualizing facts and data, further fragmenting society along ideological lines. The result is people share fewer common ideas than in previous eras and are no longer living in a shared reality. Post-postmodernism, on the other hand, is a cultural movement that has responded to post-truth’s weaponization, misuse, and individualization of information. Artists of post-postmodernism seek greater connectivity and common ground to combat individualized information and ideological warfare. To them, truth resides in the collective. This study examines the intricate relationship between recent socio-historic events and cultural manifestations that respond to them to better understand the world in which we live.