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India’s comic artists are faced with an intolerant state that sets cops and trolls on them. Have they caved in or are they still punching up?

In this issue

01-12-202331 STORIES

‘The Dystopian Times’ by Appupen

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Letters

Readers respond.

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New books on the shelves

A feel-good novel from Japan that celebrates good food, a memoir of a Gandhian environmentalist, and much more.

Editor’s Note: The power of political comedy in times of propaganda and censorship

When other forms of expression are suppressed, comedy becomes a beacon of dissent.

Comparison of adaptation finance needs (extrapolated) versus modelled costs of adaptation versus adaptation finance flows (international public) by region.

Science & Technology

A new climate emergency emerges in adaptation finance needs

The latest Adaptation Gap Report of UNEP, wasabi root increasing brain power, and more in this edition of Science Notebook.

R. Ramachandran

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When documentary films get the cinematic treatment

Underlying this is a change in form: many documentaries are having protagonists assume the cinematic hero’s role in substance and performance.

Prathyush Parasuraman

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What it means to be a Muslim stand-up comic in India

Identity is part of their act, but they dare not talk politics and religion. Trolling and jail time might be a joke away.

Aakar Patel’s political novel examines the nature of power

After Messiah is breezily paced but gets plodding when he gets into lengthy explanations.

In ‘The Coincidence Plot’, Anil Menon leaves nothing to chance

The author pulls out rabbit after rabbit from his hat of literary techniques in this dazzling novel of ideas.

Jaideep Unudurti

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‘The Experiment’: A Malayalam story in translation

Translated from Malayalam by J. Devika.

The folk singer Kovan was arrested on sedition charges for his song “Moodu Tasmac-ai Moodu” in 2015.

Why stand-up comedy has had a slow start in Tamil Nadu

This could be because satire is already deeply ingrained in the State’s popular culture.

Siddarth Muralidharan,Saatvika Radhakrishna

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When women write war

Edited by Bhakti Shringarpure and Veruska Cantelli, Insurgent Feminisms draws a new map of the world of war.

Kalpana Kannabiran

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How to steal a masterpiece, a la Stéphane Breitwieser

In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel examines what motivated a working-class Frenchman to become an art thief.

As Pakistan approaches its 2024 election, the army’s grip on power tightens

Imran Khan’s PTI party faces an uphill battle, with the army’s support firmly behind his rivals.

Historian Rosie Llewellyn-Jones

‘East India Company did not anticipate popularity of railways’: Rosie Llewellyn-Jones

The British historian discusses Empire Building, her latest book on the construction of British India till the 20th century.

Mayawati: An icon in retreat

Once a champion of the marginalised, she is now struggling to remain relevant in heartland politics after a decade of electoral setbacks.

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How small-town comedians are taking the internet by storm

Heartland comedians are using humour more fearlessly and effectively, finding their voices and audiences online.

Time for a modern law protecting the right to offend through comedy

Stand-up comics in India can draw on the country’s rich tradition of using humour to challenge authority.

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Intolerance and outrage leave Indian stand-up comics with less to laugh about

But even in this climate of fear, some comics are still holding out, balancing laughter and political perils.

Shreevatsa Nevatia

Nipah outbreak: ‘Driving away bats is not the answer’

Interview with P.O. Nameer, Dean of the College of Climate Change and Environmental Science, Kerala Agricultural University.

Ashok Gehlot: ‘They have ED; I have seven guarantees’

The Rajasthan Chief Minister says the ED raids are political tactics by a nervous BJP.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

The race for Rajasthan Assembly is too close to call

With both the Congress and BJP facing internal rebellions, the outcome may hinge on the popularity of Modi and Gehlot.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

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The world is grappling with a climate challenge that has defied predictions

It is time to reconsider the massive resources invested in future projections, and focus on locally relevant predictions.

Raghu Murtugudde

Anti-Semitism: How it should and should not be defined

And why we must combat both anti-Semitism and Zionism.

Battle for the margins: The high-pitched campaign for tribal votes in Hindi heartland

BJP and Congress woo tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, but ground realities remain stark.

Tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh face persecution for defending their rights

While tribal activists are arrested on false charges, forest officials are accused of colluding with timber smugglers.

Priyansha Chouhan

Why is Hezbollah reluctant to fully engage in the Gaza war?

The Lebanese group’s intricate history has the answers.

Bashir Ali Abbas

Maratha quota agitation: A cat among the pigeons

Marathas’ agitation for reservation has placed Shinde government in a bind, while many believe it is a ploy to divide the community ahead of election.

High-stakes battles in five States to decide Congress’ fate ahead of 2024

Crucial tests in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram will shape the party’s future.

Air pollution in India: A nightmare that continues to haunt

Urgent action is needed to tackle multiple sources of pollution, from vehicles to construction to stubble burning.

Mahua Moitra: ‘Anyone who speaks about Adani-Modi nexus is being targeted’

The Trinamool Congress MP says the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee was trying to publicly humiliate her.

Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay

Archive

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+ READ THIS ISSUE 01-12-2023

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+ READ THIS ISSUE 17-11-2023

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+ READ THIS ISSUE 03-11-2023

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+ READ THIS ISSUE 20-10-2023

+ SEE ALL ISSUES

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