Cafe Dissensus Everyday

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Fear and Image: The phenomenology of photography

By Anwar Haneefa
Until 1969, the French philosopher Jacques Derrida did not let himself to be photographed and was very strict with the distribution of his images. Why did such a reputed philosopher like Derrida, in the then global academic and intellectual sphere, have such an uncompromising attitude towards photography? Was this strictness a part of his whole comprehensive universal critical project of ‘Deconstruction’, a critique to ‘constructed image’ and ‘fixed identity’?

Terrorism, an orphan of Reformist Islam: Reflections from Kerala Muslim milieu

By M Abdul Fathah
An increase in the observance of Islamic customs as such need not expose firmness of identity politics or Islamism. They better derive legitimate space in Islam from the ethics formed among the observant of those customs. Evidently, pervasiveness of such practices under traditional Ulamas predates such practices within Salafi creed, without any repercussions, let alone terrorist tendencies.

Farooq Ahmad Dar, the human shield who can’t sleep

By Inamul Haq
After being used as a human shield by the Indian army and then labelled a stone-pelter, Dar is now a shunned man. Ever since, he has been struggling to rebuild his life; he suffers from insomnia and depression. The 28-year-old Dar has been unable to find a job and is still fighting for justice. Incidentally, his tormentor, Major Gogoi, has been recently honoured by the Indian Army.

Coming to poetry: Between reason and grief

By Akash Bharadwaj
The feisty tone of the poem and her determined voice reached the pores of my skin. I was surprised to find in her otherwise soft voice an anger that spoke not only about the epic world of Mahabharata, but a similar world of deceit, lust, and struggles that surrounded us.

Why is crime against women in India on the rise?

By Mukhtyar Ahmed
A strong civil society, political will, and a functional law enforcement system is required to address issues of sexual assault and rape against women effectively and efficiently. No amount of candlelight vigils or speeches can address the problem of ‘rape culture’ in the absence of significant political and judicial reforms with immediate effect.

Ananda Shankar: The fusion maestro

By Rimli Bhattacharya
The world knows about his uncle but he never competed with the success of panditji. His tunes of Sitar, Moog Synthesizer, Drums, Guitar and other staid musical instruments were unique and had euphony to bring you to a state of bliss, serenity, and tranquility.