TD Explains: What caused the Tiananmen Square Incident
From a space for gathering to commemorate public events or to a spot for rallying protests, squares are of paramount importance in Chinese polity from villages to cities. Of several such squares, Tiananmen square, located in the heart of the Forbidden city of Beijing and boasting a history of 500 years, is the one that […]
Since when did Indian women start wearing Blouse: A Sociological Perspective
Human cultures evolved through a continuous exchange of ideas, belief, habits, and forms. Dressing habits in particular constitute a fertile plain in which this exchange takes place. The traditional attire evolved over centuries, reflecting religion, ethnicity, geography, cultures, climates as well as communities in India. This essay paints a picture of clothing during the colonial […]
TD Explains: Legacy of Non-Aligned Movement
Non-alignment as a topic can be discussed under two heads i.e. non-alignment as a foreign policy and non-aligned as a movement which was led by third world countries. However, in this explainer we are going to discuss Non-aligned as a movement. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) emerged during the Cold War as a response to the bipolar […]
Evolution of Hinduism: Buddha’s Influence on the Later Brahmanism
‘The purpose of religion is to explain the origin of the world. The purpose of Dhamma is to reconstruct the world.’ (Ambedkar, 1987: 322) With these words Dr. B. R. Ambedkar interpreted Buddhism as a world transforming religion. During the end of the Upanishad period, the Uttarapatra (north highway) was made. Linking the fertile lands […]
Myanmar and Indonesia: Two Contrasting Journeys of Democratisation
Comparing and contrasting the political history of Myanmar and Indonesia since their independence reveals a tale of two Southeast Asian nations with divergent paths but shared themes of struggle, dictatorship, reform, and democratization. Independence & Immediate after: Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948. The immediate post-independence period was […]
Issues Around Surrogacy: Prejudices, Bodily Autonomy, Commodification, Altruism and what not
Rising infertility rates might not seem to be incongruous with a world trying to grapple with an ever-increasing population. However, several estimates round the globe, including that of WHO, indicate that infertility is indeed a serious health issue affecting almost 17%of the world’s adult population. Hence several interventions like surrogacy and ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) […]
Semiconductor Diplomacy: The New Frontier of Global Power
In the 21st century, semiconductors have become the building blocks of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones to advanced military systems. As these tiny chips grow increasingly crucial to national security and economic prosperity, a new form of diplomacy has emerged – semiconductor diplomacy. The recent global chip shortage, affecting over 169 countries, has underscored […]
Erosion of Liberal International Order : Are we on the brink of a new epoch?
After the end of the Cold War, the liberal world order was erected by the sole superpower USA around the core tenets of economic interdependence and democratic peace — the two pillars of the liberal international order. The primary architect of this order wanted to spread their domestic ideology of democracy and international institutional membership […]