Shows
The India BriefingNobel Laureate Esther Duflo on Poverty, Inequality, and PolicyIn this special episode of The India Briefing, Nobel Laureate and development economist Esther Duflo joins hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari for a wide-ranging conversation on poverty, inequality, and evidence-based policymaking in India. Duflo, whose path breaking work on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) has transformed development economics, reflects on two decades of field research across India through the lens of J-PAL—the global research centre she co-founded to reduce poverty by ensuring policy is informed by scientific evidence.From Tamil Nadu’s welfare innovations to the promise and pitfalls of cash transfers, the episode unpacks the stru...2025-04-1659 min
LSE PodcastsLSE: The Ballpark | Cultivating Democracy with Professor Mukulika BanerjeeIn February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Mukulika Banerjee, Professor in LSE’s Department of Anthropology. They spoke about using anthropology to better study politics, how the US might be turning into what she terms a “checklist democracy” and how seeing the US from an outside point of view might help Americans to understand their own politics better.
Professor Mukulika Banerjee was inaugural director of the LSE South Asia Centre. Her books include Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India, Why India Votes?, The Pathan Unarmed and The Sari (with Daniel Miller); and the series Exploring the Po...2025-04-0437 min
The BallparkLSE: The Ballpark | Cultivating Democracy with Professor Mukulika BanerjeeContributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Mukulika Banerjee | Description:
In February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Mukulika Banerjee, Professor in LSE’s Department of Anthropology. They spoke about using anthropology to better study politics, how the US might be turning into what she terms a “checklist democracy” and how seeing the US from an outside point of view might help Americans to understand their own politics better.
Professor Mukulika Banerjee was inaugural director of the LSE South Asia Centre. Her books include Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India, Why India Votes?, The Pathan Unarmed and The Sari...2025-04-0437 min
LSE: The BallparkLSE: The Ballpark | Cultivating Democracy with Professor Mukulika BanerjeeContributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Mukulika Banerjee | Description:
In February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Mukulika Banerjee, Professor in LSE’s Department of Anthropology. They spoke about using anthropology to better study politics, how the US might be turning into what she terms a “checklist democracy” and how seeing the US from an outside point of view might help Americans to understand their own politics better.
Professor Mukulika Banerjee was inaugural director of the LSE South Asia Centre. Her books include Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India, Why India Votes?, The Pathan Unarmed and The Sari...2025-04-0437 minThe India BriefingCitizens as Cultivars of DemocracyIn this episode, Pragya Tiwari and Mukulika Banerjee take a step back from the news cycle to reflect on the broader question of democracy and how we can ‘cultivate’ it. They use the idea of ‘cultivating democracy’ as a framework to look at the socio-political faultlines that impact the health of democracies world over. The discussion is based on Mukulika’s recent inaugural lecture at the London School of Economics. It also links with Pragya’s work as a journalist, on how democracy manifests and operates on ground. This broad discussion on democratic ethos travels from rural fa...2025-03-1049 min
All items | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07All items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07All items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07Latest 300 | LSE Public lectures and events | VideoCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | VideoCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesCitizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universitiesContributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor David Wengrow | A cultivar is a plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those when propagated. This inaugural lecture by Mukulika Banerjee draws on long-term fieldwork among paddy farmers in Bengal to explore the ways in which cultivation - of crops, neighbourly relations, and selves - can help democracy and truthful politics to flourish.
It also considers how the university, through its own cultivation of knowledge and debate, is another vital site for nurturing active citizens and a better future.2025-03-051h 07The India BriefingIndia - US Relations in the Trump 2.0 EraIn this episode of The India Briefing, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari speak with Navtej Sarna and Ashley Tellis to analyse the evolving India-US bilateral relationship, particularly in light of Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to Washington. Our guests help untangle the complexities of trade dynamics, immigration issues, and the interplay between domestic politics and foreign policy. Listen in for insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for both nations, emphasizing the importance of strategic convergence amidst a changing global order.Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in2025-02-171h 20The India BriefingThe State of Indian Muslims in 2025 with Christophe JaffrelotMukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari interview Professor Christophe Jaffrelot, a prominent scholar on violence, caste, and Indian politics, currently leading the research projectThe Indian Muslim Today at Sciences Po, where he is a Professor and CERI-CNRS Senior Research Fellow.The Indian Muslims Today is part of a 4-year research project, Indian Muslims at a time of Hindu Majoritarianism, generously funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and Columbia University, and run by Sciences Po with collaboration from Princeton.The project aims at presenting, through various media, an image of the situation and lives of India’s la...2025-02-1137 minThe India BriefingIndia's Cultural History as Told Through its Quintessential Garment, the SariIn this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the enduring legacy of the sari with author and publisher Malvika Singh. Her latest book, Saris of Memory, intertwines her personal life story with India’s post-independence journey, using the sari as a central motif.The discussion explores the sari's role as a modern garment, its functionality, cultural identity, and potential for empowerment, while also addressing the challenges faced by artisans and the need for institutional support to preserve India's rich textile heritage.Produced by Oijo Media Pv...2025-02-011h 13The India BriefingIndia’s cultural history as told through its quintessential garment, the SariSummary -
Cultural Historian and publisher Malvika Singh is a living encyclopedia of Delhi and of Indian craft traditions. She speaks on her new book Saris of Memory in which she uses the Sari to weave together personal and collective history and memory.
Why has the Sari continued through time as India’s quintessential garment? What stories and histories are woven into its threads? What does it mean to women across class and caste divides? And what makes it worth celebrating?
This and more as three women wh...2025-01-271h 13The India BriefingMaking Sense of India with Amit Varma and Milan VaishnavIn this episode of the India Briefing, we speak with Milan Vaishnav, host of The Grand Tamasha and Amit Varma, host of The Seen and the Unseen on the lessons, the critical ideas and observations that they have encountered through conversations across the years and how they have helped shape their understanding of India.Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.inEpisode Notes: The Seen and the Unseen with Amit VarmaEverything and Everything with Amit Varma and Ajay Shah2025-01-141h 33The India Briefing2024 : The Year That WasIn this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari look back and discuss the headlines of 2024 in politics, art, culture, cinema, the changing nature of public good in politics, reflections on the future of democracy in India and lots more. Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in2024-12-311h 04
Llafe t’liraMUKULIKA BANERJEE: Oligarchy, Elections, Democracy… - LLAFE T’LIRA #26Na ndiqni edhe në YouTube, Instagram, TikTok & Facebook.
Llafe t’lira per mendje t’lira🕊️
2024-12-2945 min
New Books in SociologyMukulika Banerjee, "Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India" (Oxford UP, 2021)Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (Oxford UP, 2021) by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee offers a groundbreaking rethinking of democracy, moving beyond its institutional frameworks to focus on its lived, everyday dimensions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the villages of Madanpur and Chishti in India, the book examines how agrarian communities cultivate democratic values—solidarity, reciprocity, and ethical citizenship—through practices embedded in their daily lives. Dr. Banerjee challenges conventional notions of democracy as confined to elections and state institutions, instead presenting it as a process deeply rooted in cultural-social practices and values. She highlights how rural communities, through coope...2024-12-281h 07
New Books in South Asian StudiesMukulika Banerjee, "Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India" (Oxford UP, 2021)Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (Oxford UP, 2021) by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee offers a groundbreaking rethinking of democracy, moving beyond its institutional frameworks to focus on its lived, everyday dimensions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the villages of Madanpur and Chishti in India, the book examines how agrarian communities cultivate democratic values—solidarity, reciprocity, and ethical citizenship—through practices embedded in their daily lives. Dr. Banerjee challenges conventional notions of democracy as confined to elections and state institutions, instead presenting it as a process deeply rooted in cultural-social practices and values. She highlights how rural communities, through coope...2024-12-281h 07
In Conversation: An OUP PodcastMukulika Banerjee, "Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India" (Oxford UP, 2021)Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (Oxford UP, 2021) by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee offers a groundbreaking rethinking of democracy, moving beyond its institutional frameworks to focus on its lived, everyday dimensions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the villages of Madanpur and Chishti in India, the book examines how agrarian communities cultivate democratic values—solidarity, reciprocity, and ethical citizenship—through practices embedded in their daily lives. Dr. Banerjee challenges conventional notions of democracy as confined to elections and state institutions, instead presenting it as a process deeply rooted in cultural-social practices and values. She highlights how rural communities, through coope...2024-12-281h 07
New Books in Political ScienceMukulika Banerjee, "Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India" (Oxford UP, 2021)Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (Oxford UP, 2021) by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee offers a groundbreaking rethinking of democracy, moving beyond its institutional frameworks to focus on its lived, everyday dimensions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the villages of Madanpur and Chishti in India, the book examines how agrarian communities cultivate democratic values—solidarity, reciprocity, and ethical citizenship—through practices embedded in their daily lives. Dr. Banerjee challenges conventional notions of democracy as confined to elections and state institutions, instead presenting it as a process deeply rooted in cultural-social practices and values. She highlights how rural communities, through coope...2024-12-281h 07
New Books in AnthropologyMukulika Banerjee, "Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India" (Oxford UP, 2021)Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (Oxford UP, 2021) by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee offers a groundbreaking rethinking of democracy, moving beyond its institutional frameworks to focus on its lived, everyday dimensions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the villages of Madanpur and Chishti in India, the book examines how agrarian communities cultivate democratic values—solidarity, reciprocity, and ethical citizenship—through practices embedded in their daily lives. Dr. Banerjee challenges conventional notions of democracy as confined to elections and state institutions, instead presenting it as a process deeply rooted in cultural-social practices and values. She highlights how rural communities, through coope...2024-12-281h 07The India BriefingCash Transfer for Women: The New Trend Shaping Indian Electoral PoliticsIn this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari discuss the growing trend of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) targeted at women voters, especially in the context of electoral politics. Women in India have historically been viewed as a bloc tied to their family, caste, or community, but in recent years, political parties have increasingly targeted them as an independent voting group.Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.inFurther Reading - http://www.jstor.org/stable/23391448http://www.jstor...2024-12-2119 min
CERIA conceptual vocabulary from the study of Muslim society in South AsiaThis conference of 16/12/2024 is organised as part of the South Asia Program and as part of the Henry Luce Foundation project.
Chair: Christophe Jaffrelot, Research Director at CERI-SciencesPo/CNRS
Speaker: Mukulika Banerjee, Professor of Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics
Mukulika Banerjee was Founding Director of the LSE South Asia Centre from 2015-2020. She studied in Delhi and Oxford universities and taught at Oxford and UCL before joining LSE. Her most recent monograph is Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India (2021) published by OUP, New York. Her other books include Why India Votes? (2014), The Pathan Unarmed (2001) and The Sari (20...2024-12-161h 53Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioThe state of democracy after a year of electionsContributor(s): Dr Victor Agboga, Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Sara Hobolt, Professor Peter Trubowitz | This year billions of people around the world have been to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from these election results?
Our panel of LSE researchers explore some of the issues that have come to the fore in this bumper year for international politics, along with the key outcomes and implications for the world in 2025.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vote-badges-on-person-s-fingers-8846624/2024-12-111h 28All items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfThe state of democracy after a year of electionsContributor(s): Dr Victor Agboga, Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Sara Hobolt, Professor Peter Trubowitz | This year billions of people around the world have been to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from these election results?
Our panel of LSE researchers explore some of the issues that have come to the fore in this bumper year for international politics, along with the key outcomes and implications for the world in 2025.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vote-badges-on-person-s-fingers-8846624/2024-12-111h 28Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe state of democracy after a year of electionsContributor(s): Dr Victor Agboga, Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Sara Hobolt, Professor Peter Trubowitz | This year billions of people around the world have been to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from these election results?
Our panel of LSE researchers explore some of the issues that have come to the fore in this bumper year for international politics, along with the key outcomes and implications for the world in 2025.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vote-badges-on-person-s-fingers-8846624/2024-12-111h 28All items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe state of democracy after a year of electionsContributor(s): Dr Victor Agboga, Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Sara Hobolt, Professor Peter Trubowitz | This year billions of people around the world have been to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from these election results?
Our panel of LSE researchers explore some of the issues that have come to the fore in this bumper year for international politics, along with the key outcomes and implications for the world in 2025.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vote-badges-on-person-s-fingers-8846624/2024-12-111h 28Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfThe state of democracy after a year of electionsContributor(s): Dr Victor Agboga, Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Sara Hobolt, Professor Peter Trubowitz | This year billions of people around the world have been to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from these election results?
Our panel of LSE researchers explore some of the issues that have come to the fore in this bumper year for international politics, along with the key outcomes and implications for the world in 2025.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mikhail Nilov via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vote-badges-on-person-s-fingers-8846624/2024-12-111h 28The India BriefingThe Adani Indictment II - The Indian ResponseIn this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the indictment of Gautam Adani and others, exploring the serious charges of securities fraud and bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The conversation looks at the impact on the company's market value, investor sentiment, and the Indian government's response. The discussion highlights the volatility of Adani's stock, the political implications of the allegations, and the broader context of India's infrastructure development and regulatory environment.Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in2024-12-0333 minThe India BriefingThe Adani Indictment I: View from the USIn this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the indictment of Gautam Adani and others, exploring the serious charges of securities fraud and bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and also speak to Jerry Roth and Avi Singh for their perspective.The discussion highlights the implications of US laws extending beyond its borders, the complexities of transnational litigation, and the geopolitical dimensions surrounding the case. The Adani Group's response to the allegations and the potential future of the indictment are also examined, emphasizing the intricate legal landscape that multinational corporations navigate.2024-12-0141 minThe India BriefingDelhi Pollution: Crisis in the CapitalIn this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari discuss the severe air pollution crisis in Delhi, particularly during the winter months. They explore the various causes of pollution, including stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution, as well as the health impacts on the population. We also cover government responses, the political dynamics surrounding pollution policy, and the broader implications of climate change, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions and the importance of keeping the conversation alive beyond the immediate crisis.Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd...2024-11-2232 minAll items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe 2024 US election: turning point for America?Contributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Keith Magee, Joseph C Sternberg | Will the 2024 election mark a turning point in American democracy and in the country’s role in the world? Leading experts discuss the 2024 US election and its domestic and international implications.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-capitol-building-13727887/2024-11-061h 30Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfThe 2024 US election: turning point for America?Contributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Keith Magee, Joseph C Sternberg | Will the 2024 election mark a turning point in American democracy and in the country’s role in the world? Leading experts discuss the 2024 US election and its domestic and international implications.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-capitol-building-13727887/2024-11-061h 30Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe 2024 US election: turning point for America?Contributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Keith Magee, Joseph C Sternberg | Will the 2024 election mark a turning point in American democracy and in the country’s role in the world? Leading experts discuss the 2024 US election and its domestic and international implications.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-capitol-building-13727887/2024-11-061h 30All items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfThe 2024 US election: turning point for America?Contributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Keith Magee, Joseph C Sternberg | Will the 2024 election mark a turning point in American democracy and in the country’s role in the world? Leading experts discuss the 2024 US election and its domestic and international implications.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-capitol-building-13727887/2024-11-061h 30Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioThe 2024 US election: turning point for America?Contributor(s): Professor Mukulika Banerjee, Keith Magee, Joseph C Sternberg | Will the 2024 election mark a turning point in American democracy and in the country’s role in the world? Leading experts discuss the 2024 US election and its domestic and international implications.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-capitol-building-13727887/2024-11-061h 30The India BriefingState Elections in Haryana and Jammu & KashmirIn the first major state elections after India's parliamentary elections earlier this year, the strife torn Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Haryana went to polls in October 2024. Political anthropologist, Mukulika Banerjee and writer, Pragya Tiwari, discuss the significance of the polls, give you a lowdown of the electoral battle and outcomes, and analyse what the results mean for the states, the country and its major political parties. Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in2024-10-1548 minThe India BriefingIntroducing The India BriefingIndia is the world’s most populous country, with a median age of 28 and an emerging economic powerhouse. Whatever happens here is bound to have an impact on the future of business, climate change, jobs, geopolitics and much more around the world. And yet there is no singular reliable source where you can go to make sense of the country. The India Briefing aims to fill this gap. Through crisp conversations and, sometimes debates, we will give a round up of everything you need to know to understand the politics, economy and culture in India - whether you...2024-10-1504 minAll items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfReligion, nationalism, conflict and community: in conversation with Rory StewartContributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be...2024-10-021h 26Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesReligion, nationalism, conflict and community: in conversation with Rory StewartContributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be...2024-10-021h 26Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfReligion, nationalism, conflict and community: in conversation with Rory StewartContributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be...2024-10-021h 26Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioReligion, nationalism, conflict and community: in conversation with Rory StewartContributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be...2024-10-021h 26All items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesReligion, nationalism, conflict and community: in conversation with Rory StewartContributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be...2024-10-021h 26All items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfThe future of liberal democracyContributor(s): Professor Andrés Velasco, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Chris Anderson | In addition to the UK election, our experts weigh in on the future of liberal democracies.2024-07-0438 minAll items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe future of liberal democracyContributor(s): Professor Andrés Velasco, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Chris Anderson | In addition to the UK election, our experts weigh in on the future of liberal democracies.2024-07-0438 minLatest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesThe future of liberal democracyContributor(s): Professor Andrés Velasco, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Chris Anderson | In addition to the UK election, our experts weigh in on the future of liberal democracies.2024-07-0438 minLatest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | AudioThe future of liberal democracyContributor(s): Professor Andrés Velasco, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Chris Anderson | In addition to the UK election, our experts weigh in on the future of liberal democracies.2024-07-0438 minAll items | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfA year of elections: power and politics in 2024Contributor(s): Bill Neely, Professor Sara Hobolt, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Dr Nick Anstead | This year people around the world are going to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from election results so far, and what is still to come?2024-06-101h 15All items | LSE Public lectures and events | All media typesA year of elections: power and politics in 2024Contributor(s): Bill Neely, Professor Sara Hobolt, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Dr Nick Anstead | This year people around the world are going to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from election results so far, and what is still to come?2024-06-101h 15
Graduate Institute What Matters TodayIndia: Insights from the World's Largest ElectionWelcome to this joint Who is voting in 2024 and What Matters Today podcast episode. A quick word about both of these series. Who is voting in 2024 is a series produced by the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Albert Hirschman Centre On Democracy focusing on the multiple elections taking place in 2024.What Matters Today, which is produced by the Institute’s Communications department, is a current affairs podcast series featuring Geneva Graduate Institute faculty and international experts commenting on the most pressing global issues.Our guests today are Mukulika Banerjee and Gopalan Balachandran.M...2024-05-3129 min
BIC TALKSIndia Votes 2024: Seeds of Democracy (Part 3 of 4)In India, the question of whether voters are truly getting what they vote for remains a complex and often debated issue. While elections provide a platform for citizens to express their preferences and hold their representatives accountable, challenges such as electoral misconduct, corruption, and the influence of money and power continue to cast doubt on the efficacy of the electoral process. Moreover, the disconnect between campaign promises and actual governance outcomes further muddles the picture. Despite strides in transparency and electoral reforms, the gap between voter expectations and political realities underscores the need for sustained efforts to enhance accountability...2024-04-261h 03
LSE Research channel | VideoElections in IndiaContributor(s): | The polls in India are estimated to have 969 million voters, 5.5 million electronic voting machines, 15 million polling officials. Dr Mukulika Banerjee analyses elections in India, the largest human organised event anywhere in the world.
Visit our dedicated hub showcasing LSE research and expertise on global politics through short films, blogs, articles and events here.2024-04-1603 minLSE Research channel | VideoElections in IndiaContributor(s): | The polls in India are estimated to have 969 million voters, 5.5 million electronic voting machines, 15 million polling officials. Dr Mukulika Banerjee analyses elections in India, the largest human organised event anywhere in the world.
Visit our dedicated hub showcasing LSE research and expertise on global politics through short films, blogs, articles and events here.2024-04-1603 min
BIC TALKSDynamics of Rural DemocracyAn ethnographic study of Indian democracy that shows how agrarian life creates values of citizenship and active engagement that are essential for the cultivation of democracy, Cultivating Democracy provides a compelling ethnographic analysis of the relationship between formal political institutions and everyday citizenship in rural India. Dr. Mukulika Banerjee draws on deep engagement with the people and social life in two West Bengal villages between 1998 and 2013 to show how the micro-politics of their day-to-day life builds active engagement with the macro-politics of the state. Her sensitive analysis focuses on several "events" in the life of the villages s...2023-06-1648 min
Jaipur BytesFallen Idols - The Age of Iconoclasm: Alex von Tunzelmann and David Olusoga with Mukulika BanerjeeThis episode is a live session from Jaipur Literature Festival 2023!2023-05-1925 minJaipur BytesDemocracy - The Warp and the Left: Ronojoy Sen, Yamini Aiyar and Mukulika Banerjee with Seema SirohiThis is a live session from Jaipur Literature Festival 2023!2023-05-1232 min
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaThe Many Shades of George FernandesGeorge Fernandes was an activist, politician, minister, thinker -- and was as complicated as the times he lived in. Rahul Ramagundam joins Amit Varma in episode 327 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his biography of Fernandes, the decades he lived through, and this country that kept changing, changing, changing. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Rahul Ramagundam at Jamia Millia Islamia, Amazon, LinkedIn and Google Scholar. 2. The Life and Times of George Fernandes -- Rahul Ramagundam. 3. Gandhi's Khadi: A History of Contention and Conciliation -- Rahul Ramagundam. 4. Including the Socially Excluded -- Rahul Ra...2023-05-014h 31
Thinking AllowedDemocracyDemocracy: Quinn Slobodian, Professor of the History of Ideas at Wellesley College, takes Laurie Taylor on the journey of radical libertarians who search for the perfect home, free from the burden of democratic oversight, from Hong Kong to Canary Wharf and the Honduras. What accounts for the explosion of new legal entities, including free ports, gated enclaves, city states and special economic zones? They're joined by Mukulika Banerjee, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics, whose latest study into the lives of West Bengal villagers finds that they promote democratic values in everyday acts...2023-04-2629 min
Free Food For ThoughtLessons from Social Movements in India with Mukulika BanerjeeDaniella Reyes and Natalie Chen sit down with Mukulika Banerjee—Associate Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In this episode, Mukulika Banerjee expresses her thoughts on recent social movements in India and how taking on a republican mindset will be essential to reviving the constitutional vision for the democractic system in India. She also explains how gaining insight on the ethnographic context of its community alongside its election results can help us to understand the future of Indian democracy.2023-03-3028 min
Democracy in Question?Mukulika Banerjee on the Cultivation of Democracy in IndiaGuests featured in this episode:Mukulika Banerjee, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science where she was also the inaugural director of its South Asia Centre from 2015 to 2020. Working at the intersection of social anthropology, politics, and history, Mukulika has published widely on South Asia. She edits also the excellent Routledge series, exploring the political in South Asia. Her most relevant publications to this episode are; Why India Votes [2014] and Cultivating Democracy, Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India.[2021]GlossaryWhat is the caste system in India?(16:15 or...2023-03-1542 min
Chatham HouseCelebrating the women of Chatham HouseThis week on the podcast we celebrate the women of Chatham House for International Women’s Day. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio are some of the many researchers who work at the institute, and they discuss their experiences working in global affairs and their advice for those wanting to work in public policy. We also discuss India this week. On Monday, Chatham House hosted Rahul Gandhi, a leading Indian politician and former president of the Indian National Congress (INC). We discuss what he had to say about India’s internal quandaries and the international perceptions of the country, almost a de...2023-03-1036 min
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaThe Loneliness of the Indian ManWomen are not the only victims of patriarchy -- men are also diminished by it. Nikhil Taneja joins Amit Varma in episode 303 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss what he has learnt about mental health, young people in India, the epidemic of loneliness in our country -- and the enormous power of storytelling. (For full linked show notes, go to SeenUnseen.in.) Also check out: 1. The Loneliness of the Indian Woman — Episode 259 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shrayana Bhattacharya). 2. Nikhil Taneja on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, IMDb and HT Brunch. 3. Yuvaa. 4. The internet—a toxic love story -- Nikhil...2022-11-147h 23
Jaipur BytesNationhood, Patriotism and Deshbhakti: Saket Suman, Makarand R Paranjape, Gurmehar Kaur, Badri Narayan with Mukulika BanerjeeThis episode is a live session from Jaipur Lit Fest. Nationhood, Patriotism and Deshbhakti: Saket Suman, Makarand R Paranjape, Gurmehar Kaur and Badri Narayan in conversation with Mukulika Banerjee.2022-06-0648 min
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaThe Incredible Curiosities of Mukulika BanerjeeHow did one of the greatest nonviolent movements in history emerge from within the supposedly violent Pathans of the wild frontier? Why do poor people in India vote even though there seems to be no point to it? Why does an ancient garment like the sari endure -- but democracy seem in peril? Mukulika Banerjee joins Amit Varma in episode 276 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the questions that kept her up at night -- and the lessons they hold for us. Also check out:1. Mukulika Banerjee at LSE, Google Scholar, Amazon and Twitter. 2. The Pathan Unarmed -- Muku...2022-05-095h 16
SundayThe Bible on Screen; Religious Clashes In India; A Quaker Approach To School BehaviourWhat's your favourite Bible film? And can a movie really offer a new perspective on the text? This weekend Sunday is discussing movies from Pasolini's Gospel according to St Matthew to The Ten Commandments and Jesus Christ Superstar with Matthew Page author of a new @BFI book. Tell us which are your favourites - email Sunday@bbc.co.uk.Police used batons this week to break up a clash between Hindus and Muslims after Eid prayers in the city of Jodhpur in India. Edward discusses the escalating tensions between the groups with London School of Economics Professor...2022-05-0843 min
World Review from the New StatesmanHow farmers fight for democracy in India, with Mukulika BanerjeeEmily Tamkin, the US editor of the New Statesman, interviews Mukulika Banerjee about her new book Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India. They discuss the farmers' protests that eventually led to a government U-turn in India, the history of Indian rural politics and the health of democracy in the subcontinent. If you have a You Ask Us question for the international team, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Further reading: India reveres its democracy, but the room for dissent is shrinkingCl...2021-12-2024 min
Grand TamashaUnpacking the Modi Government's Farm Law ReversalIn September 2020, India’s Parliament passed three farm reform bills that the government claimed would radically change the way in which agriculture was practiced in the country. Yet, just over twelve months later, the same government announced its intention to repeal those laws—a major concession to large-scale, dogged protests launched by farmers in northern India. The repeal of the farm reform laws, hailed by many observers as a short-term victory for struggling farmers, has also raised complex questions about the future of agriculture in a rapidly urbanizing India. To consider some of these questions, Milan is joine...2021-12-0141 min
Grand TamashaThe Rural Roots of Citizenship and Democracy in India
Mukulika Banerjee, “Elections as Communitas,” Social Research, Spring 2011.
Mukulika Banerjee, “A small ‘feastie’ in a Republic’s anniversary,” Indian Express, January 26, 2020.
Pradeep K. Chhibber and Amit Ahuja, “Why the Poor Vote in India: 'If I Don't Vote, I Am Dead to the State,’” Studies in International Comparative Development, 2012.
Christophe Jaffrelot, “Narendra Modi and India's New Political System,” Grand Tamasha, October 5, 2021.
2021-11-1040 min
Grand TamashaThe Rural Roots of Citizenship and Democracy in IndiaFor more than fifteen years, the scholar Mukulika Banerjee has been deeply embedded in the social and political life of two villages in the state of West Bengal—studying developments there, both during elections and between them. Her new book, “Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India,” is a deeply researched study of Indian democracy that shows how agrarian life creates values of citizenship and active engagement that are essential for the cultivation of democracy. Mukulika Banerjee is an associate professor in social anthropology at the London School of Economics, and she joins Milan on the podcast...2021-11-1038 minWorld Review from the New StatesmanWest Bengal elections: a turning point for Indian politics?On 6th May, Mamata Banerjee was sworn as Chief Minister of West Bengal for a third term after leading her party to a landslide victory in the State elections against India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).In this episode of World Review from the New Statesman, Jeremy Cliffe and Emily Tamkin are joined by Dr. Mukulika Banerjee of the London School of Economics to explore what the BJP's defeat in West Bengal means for Indian politics.They also discuss India's ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and take a listener question looking ahead to India's national elec...2021-05-0744 minJaipur BytesThe Life and Death of DemocracyAjume H. Wingo, Christophe Jaffrelot, Gideon Levy, Makarand R. Paranjape and Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with Milan Vaishnav.
While the notion of democracy had its birth in Ancient Greece and gained currency in the 18th century revolutions in France and America, it was in the 20th century that it became a global aspiration. Yet each nation that professes allegiance to democracy has a shifting definition of what the concept entails. A distinguished panel of speakers examine the constitutional safeguards as well as the civic attitudes that define the critical parameters of democractic process. Christophe Jaffrelot's recent publications...2020-11-211h 11Jaipur BytesClosing Debate: The Age of IconoclasmBee Rowlatt, Edward Chancellor, Nick Robins, Swapan Dasgupta, William Dalrymple and Zareer Masani discuss the age of iconoclasm with Mukulika Banerjee in the closing debate of #JLFLondonAtBL2020
Britain is full of statues of men once regarded as imperial heroes, many of whom are responsible for acts of loot and pillage that would now be classified as war crimes. This house believes the time has now come to remove them to a museum of colonialism. The JLF closing debate is a much-loved session that always sets pulses racing – watch out for the drummer…
This episode is the...2020-10-201h 16Jaipur BytesThe Dance of DemocracyNavin Chawla and Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with John Elliott. India is the world’s largest democracy. It has faced daunting challenges, sustaining democratic institutions against all odds. Its vigorous political system remains credible and sound in its fundamentals with nearly 900 million citizens, young and old, exercising their constitutionally given freedom to choose in what remains a disciplined and peaceable process. A session that examines the results of the recent national elections as well as the strengths and fault lines in India’s democratic convictions with former Election Commission of India head Navin Chawla, writer and academic Mukulika Banerjee in c...2019-07-2353 minJaipur BytesThe Billionaires: Looking at the Indian EliteJames Crabtree and Avi Singh in conversation with Mukulika Banerjee. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.2019-06-2031 minJaipur BytesGame Changers: Cricket CountryShashi Tharoor, Wajahat S. Khan, Romesh Gunesekera and Prashant Kidambi in conversation with Mukulika Banerjee. Cricket in South Asia has become a symbol of national identity and a surrogate battleground between competing nationalisms. Prashant Kidambi’s Cricket Country: An Indian Odyssey in the Age of Empire tells the story of the first all Indian cricket tour of Britain and Ireland and how the idea of India took shape on the cricket field. Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist Wajahat S. Khan has co-authored Game Changer, a riveting memoir of Shahid Afridi, one of modern cricket's most controversial and accomplished practitioners. Indian politician and be...2019-06-1648 min
Stepwell10: How Indian Democracy works, with Mukulika BanerjeePatrick French talks to Mukulika Banerjee, the Director of the South Asia Centre at LSE, about why India votes, why the 2019 elections were radically different, how our voting system could be improved, whether India is part of the global trend of rising populist nationalism that can be seen in other liberal democracies, EVMs, electoral bonds and much more.2019-05-2536 min
StepwellHow Indian Democracy works, with Mukulika BanerjeePatrick French talks to Mukulika Banerjee, the Director of the South Asia Centre at LSE, about why India votes, why the 2019 elections were radically different, how our voting system could be improved, whether India is part of the global trend of rising populist nationalism that can be seen in other liberal democracies, EVMs, electoral bonds and much more.2019-05-2500 min
LSE PodcastsDemocracy on the Road: a 25 year journey through India [Audio]Speaker(s): Ruchir Sharma | On the eve of India’s General elections in April and May, Ruchir Sharma will in this event, which marks the publication of his new book, offer a portrait of how India and its democracy work. Sharma has covered every election for the last two decades on the road talking to farmers, shopkeepers and CEOs from Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu, and interviewing leaders from Narendra Modi to Rahul Gandhi. Sharma will explain how the complex forces of family, caste and community, economics and development, money and corruption, Bollywood and Godmen, have conspired to elect and topple In...2019-03-181h 32
Bande à partHaptic Fashion & Omar Victor DiopWe discuss the ways clothes feel versus the way they look, and Autograph’s brilliant Omar Victor Diop exhibition. See links below.
Fanshawe mantua at Museum of London (1753): https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/85096.html
Lynn Sorge-English, Stays and Body Image in London: The Staymaking Trade, 1680-1810 (2011): https://www.routledge.com/Stays-and-Body-Image-in-London-The-Staymaking-Trade-16801810/Sorge-English/p/book/9781138661424
Daniel Miller, Mukulika Banerjee, The Sari (2008): https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-sari-9781847883148/
Honoré-Victorin Daumier, De l'utilité de la crinoline pour frauder l'octroi (1857), Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/84651
Omar Victor Diop at Autograph (2018): https://autograph.org.uk/exhibitions/liberty-diaspora
Omar Vict...2018-10-2835 minThinking AllowedPopulismPopulism - Laurie Taylor explores the origins, meaning and rise of populist politics, across the Left as well as the Right. He's joined by Mukulika Banerjee, Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology, LSE; Luke March, Deputy Head of Politics and International Relations at Edinburgh University and Thomas Osborne, Leverhulme Research Fellow in Liberalism & Political Ethics and Prof of Social & Political Theory at the University of Bristol.Producer: Jayne Egerton.2018-02-0727 min
Latest 300 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfLSE Literary Festival 2017 | Cricket as Revolution [Audio]Speaker(s): Dr Prashant Kidambi, Peter Oborne | 'Cricket is an Indian game accidentally invented by the English': one of India's leading public intellectuals once proclaimed. Ashis Nandy's provocative claim might well be extended to the rest of the subcontinent now. Cricket was brought to the Indian sub-continent by British colonial officers who chose to not teach it to the natives. However, the game was learned through watching and soon gained popularity resulting in a tour of England by an Indian team in the early part of the twentieth century. This panel explores how the story of cricket between England and...2017-02-221h 32Summer 2016 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfRethinking the Global Monetary SystemContributor(s): Dr Raghuram Rajan | The global financial crisis has shaken up the international financial architecture. Regulatory changes and unconventional monetary policies have mainly served the interests of advanced economies. Raghuram Rajan, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has been the main voice of emerging economies demanding a more balanced global monetary system. He would like to see more coordination to reduce volatility and a more effective “global safety net” to protect those most vulnerable. Emerging economies must be more involved in rethinking and reshaping the system. Dr Rajan assumed charge as the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of I...2016-05-101h 26Summer 2016 | Public lectures and events | VideoRethinking the Global Monetary SystemContributor(s): Dr Raghuram Rajan | The global financial crisis has shaken up the international financial architecture. Regulatory changes and unconventional monetary policies have mainly served the interests of advanced economies. Raghuram Rajan, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has been the main voice of emerging economies demanding a more balanced global monetary system. He would like to see more coordination to reduce volatility and a more effective “global safety net” to protect those most vulnerable. Emerging economies must be more involved in rethinking and reshaping the system. Dr Rajan assumed charge as the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of I...2016-05-101h 26Autumn 2015 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfShobhana Bhartia in conversation with Mukulika BanerjeeContributor(s): Shobhana Bhartia | Shobhana Bhartia and Mukulika Banerjee will debate the sensitive relationship between media and politics in contemporary society, weaving in issues of reportage, print and electronic coverage, online news, 24/7 news knowledge, and the like. Focusing on The Hindustan Times daily newspaper in India, the discussion will also confront new challenges -- of online portals, social media and the reporting of breaking news, and the increasing role that the media plays in creating an informed citizenry. Besides being the first and the youngest woman to become the chief executive of a national newspaper, Shobhana Bhartia is also a...2015-10-131h 24Autumn 2015 | Public lectures and events | VideoShobhana Bhartia in conversation with Mukulika BanerjeeContributor(s): Shobhana Bhartia | Shobhana Bhartia and Mukulika Banerjee will debate the sensitive relationship between media and politics in contemporary society, weaving in issues of reportage, print and electronic coverage, online news, 24/7 news knowledge, and the like. Focusing on The Hindustan Times daily newspaper in India, the discussion will also confront new challenges -- of online portals, social media and the reporting of breaking news, and the increasing role that the media plays in creating an informed citizenry. Besides being the first and the youngest woman to become the chief executive of a national newspaper, Shobhana Bhartia is also a...2015-10-131h 24Summer 2015 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfFlood of FireContributor(s): Amitav Ghosh | Flood of Fire, the conclusion to Amitav Ghosh's bestselling Ibis Trilogy, takes us from India to China, through the outbreak of the First Opium War and China’s devastating defeat, to Britain’s seizure of Hong Kong. It follows a varied cast of characters, among them a sepoy in the East India Company, an impoverished young sailor searching for his lost love, and a determined widow en route to China to reclaim her opium-trader husband’s wealth and reputation. Amitav Ghosh is one of the finalists for this year’s Man Booker International Prize. Here the Booker s...2015-05-2959 minSummer 2015 | Public lectures and events | VideoFlood of FireContributor(s): Amitav Ghosh | Flood of Fire, the conclusion to Amitav Ghosh's bestselling Ibis Trilogy, takes us from India to China, through the outbreak of the First Opium War and China’s devastating defeat, to Britain’s seizure of Hong Kong. It follows a varied cast of characters, among them a sepoy in the East India Company, an impoverished young sailor searching for his lost love, and a determined widow en route to China to reclaim her opium-trader husband’s wealth and reputation. Amitav Ghosh is one of the finalists for this year’s Man Booker International Prize. Here the Booker s...2015-05-2959 minSpring 2015 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfHong Kong: the struggle at the end of historyContributor(s): Professor Conor Gearty, Raymond Li, Professor Danny Quah, Isabella Steger | The Umbrella Revolution has re-ignited a global debate on democracy. Why have the dynamics in this small ex British Colony captured the imagination of the world? Conor Gearty (@conorgearty) is Director of the Institute of Public Affairs and Professor of Human Rights Law at LSE. Raymond Li is BBC Chinese Editor since 2009. Danny Quah (@DannyQuah) is Director of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre and Professor of Economics and International Development at LSE. Isabella Steger (@stegersaurus) reports for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong. Dr Mukulika...2015-02-101h 35Spring 2015 | Public lectures and events | VideoHong Kong: the struggle at the end of historyContributor(s): Professor Conor Gearty, Raymond Li, Professor Danny Quah, Isabella Steger | The Umbrella Revolution has re-ignited a global debate on democracy. Why have the dynamics in this small ex British Colony captured the imagination of the world? Conor Gearty (@conorgearty) is Director of the Institute of Public Affairs and Professor of Human Rights Law at LSE. Raymond Li is BBC Chinese Editor since 2009. Danny Quah (@DannyQuah) is Director of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre and Professor of Economics and International Development at LSE. Isabella Steger (@stegersaurus) reports for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong. Dr Mukulika...2015-02-101h 35
Gearty GrillingsGearty Grilling: Mukulika Banerjee on Indian DemocracyContributor(s): Mukulika Banerjee | Mukulika Banerjee, Reader in Social Anthropology, discusses democracy in India and why the act of voting is so meaningful for the majority of the population.2015-01-2205 min
Asia HouseWhy Do Indians Vote? Democracy in IndiaTo coincide with the Indian general election, we explored ‘Why India Votes’. Dr Mukulika Banerjee, author of 'Why India Votes' and Patrick French, author of 'India: A Portrait' joined Salil Tripathi. This was part of the Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival 2014 - #FAL142014-05-0837 minSpring 2013 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfLiterary Festival 2013: Narratives: the oral tradition of storytelling and fictionContributor(s): Dr Vayu Naidu, Michael Wood | After a performance by the highly acclaimed story teller Vayu Naidu of a story from the Ramayana, this discussion will explore the oral tradition of storytelling, and fiction. Vayu Naidu is a story teller. She is founder and artistic director of the Vau Naidu company, which promotes storytelling as theatre, with a signature style combining text, music and dance. She has brought research and performance of oral traditions into British Academy, creating new works with composers and orchestras and for theatre and radio drama. Her debut novel is Sita's Ascent. Michael Wood is...2013-03-021h 37Spring 2013 | Public lectures and events | VideoLiterary Festival 2013: Narratives: the oral tradition of storytelling and fictionContributor(s): Dr Vayu Naidu, Michael Wood | After a performance by the highly acclaimed story teller Vayu Naidu of a story from the Ramayana, this discussion will explore the oral tradition of storytelling, and fiction. Vayu Naidu is a story teller. She is founder and artistic director of the Vau Naidu company, which promotes storytelling as theatre, with a signature style combining text, music and dance. She has brought research and performance of oral traditions into British Academy, creating new works with composers and orchestras and for theatre and radio drama. Her debut novel is Sita's Ascent. Michael Wood is...2013-03-021h 37
Asia HouseWomen, Power and PoliticsAung San Suu Kyi and Sonia Gandhi are two of the most powerful women in the world. Yet their power is a paradox in Asia, where women compose half of the population but are so poorly represented in policy-making bodies.
The authors of new biographies of these powerful political women discuss their political development and records, the sacrifices they've made, what the future holds for them, and look at other female politicians throughout Asia, both dynastic and non-dynastic. They are in conversation with Mukulika Banerjee, of LSE, whose in-depth study of democracy in India was outlined in the BBC documentary...2012-08-281h 03Spring 2012 | Public lectures and events | Audio and pdfIndian Democracy's Ferocious FaultlinesContributor(s): Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Patrick French, Professor Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor Sunil Khilnani | This panel will focus on the underside of Indian democracy, as visible in, among other things, the insurgencies in Kashmir; a Maoist rebellion in the heart of India; growing inequalities between rich and poor; and the massively high rates of corruption within government. Mukulika Banerjee is a reader in anthropology at the Department of Anthropology, LSE. Patrick French is the author of Liberty or Death and India: a portrait. Maitreesh Ghatak is Professor of Economics at LSE. Sunil Khilnani is director of King's College London's India Institute...2012-03-121h 39Spring 2012 | Public lectures and events | VideoIndian Democracy's Ferocious FaultlinesContributor(s): Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Patrick French, Professor Maitreesh Ghatak, Professor Sunil Khilnani | This panel will focus on the underside of Indian democracy, as visible in, among other things, the insurgencies in Kashmir; a Maoist rebellion in the heart of India; growing inequalities between rich and poor; and the massively high rates of corruption within government. Mukulika Banerjee is a reader in anthropology at the Department of Anthropology, LSE. Patrick French is the author of Liberty or Death and India: a portrait. Maitreesh Ghatak is Professor of Economics at LSE. Sunil Khilnani is director of King's College London's India Institute...2012-03-121h 39