Papers by A. P. Ashwin Kumar
… AND POLITICAL WEEKLY, 2007
Realism depends upon a specific structure of experience for its intelligibility. That horizon is ... more Realism depends upon a specific structure of experience for its intelligibility. That horizon is the metaphysical picture of the individual, with beliefs underlying his/her actions. What is the relationship between art which works through predominantly representational/mimetic forms (the novel, cinema and so on) and an experience which is structured on other metaphysical models? Taking the case of Indian cinema as an example, this essay argues that Indian cinema attempts to capture the essential predicament of modern Indian experience, the predicament of community disenfranchisement, using tools and resources which are not meant for this purpose. In order to understand the complex dynamics of this situation, it is important to develop a heuristic to 'provincialize' realism and representational forms of art. This paper argues that representational art and realism presupposes a particular conception of experience. This conception is one which privileges the propositional content of experience, a formulation which is also a cryptic description of the West as a culture. Representational art, therefore, is rooted in a metaphysics which has shaped that culture. Finding an alternative language to talk about non-western art forms will require us to explore alternatives to this metaphysics.
In the recent past, many progressive voices have aired their discontent about the way liberals ha... more In the recent past, many progressive voices have aired their discontent about the way liberals have evaluated community traditions and practices. This article attempts to explore the issue further by proposing a framework to evaluate traditional practices, and community claims associated with such practices. It argues that in instances where traditional practices come into question, rights-based claims made by the liberals lead to undemocratic consequences and so must yield to a model of injury-based claims.
In recent days the idea of nationalism has again come into focus in mainstream political discussi... more In recent days the idea of nationalism has again come into focus in mainstream political discussions in India. Those critical of the idea (‘liberals’), have usually attempted to contain the concept of nationalism by showing how it is used to mobilize certain constituencies for a right-of-centre political imagination. Apologists for nationalism (‘nationalists’) have made a strong pitch for recognizing the cultural uniqueness of Indian polity and making it an important plank for discussing matters of public life and statecraft. In this article, I argue that the standard liberal strategy of dissolving the concept of nationalism by showing it to be a surreptitious tool in a game of political power is unsatisfactory. Equally unsatisfactory is the nationalists’ method of gaining ground in this debate by invoking a catch-all idea of an Indian nation without delineating the exact implications of such a claim. I argue that claims about nationalism contain a significant, albeit distorted, appreciation of the political relationship between communities and modern states. However, I also try to show that both liberals and nationalists have a common, and untenable, notion of community underlying their claims.
As far as teacher training in higher education is concerned, the University Grants Commission see... more As far as teacher training in higher education is concerned, the University Grants Commission seems to have got it all wrong.
50 Writers, 50 Books - The Best of Indian Fiction edited by Chandra Siddan and Pradeep Sebastian, 2013
… AND POLITICAL WEEKLY, Jan 1, 2007
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Papers by A. P. Ashwin Kumar