317. Radical Peace: The Astavakra Gita in the Age of AI
BIC TALKS
In this episode of BIC Talks, Author & Historian- Hindol Sengupta discusses the relevance of a relatively lesser-known but fundamental text of the Advaita Vedanta School of Hinduism called the Ashtavakra Gita at a time of global conflict. It will focus on the personal experience of the transformative and redeeming power of the text amidst the turmoil, grief, and uncertainty that is the fate of human life. This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in May 2024. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favorite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere,...
info_outline
316. Echoes of AI
BIC TALKS
On the surface, an Indian doctor, a British poet, an UberEats courier in Pittsburgh, and a Chinese activist in exile have nothing in common. But they are in fact linked by a profound common experience―unexpected encounters with artificial intelligence. In her debut book Code Dependent, shortlisted for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-fiction 2024, Madhumita Murgia shows how automated systems are reshaping our lives all over the world, from technology that marks children as future criminals, to an app that is helping to offer medical diagnoses to a remote tribal...
info_outline
315. Tracing Origins
BIC TALKS
Karthik Venkatesh, in his book, 10 Indian Languages and How They Came to Be, traces the long and varied journeys of ten languages through time, examining the cultural shifts and political and social influences that have shaped them. He provides a glimpse of their literature, tracks the growth of their scripts and identifies landmark moments that have preserved and reinvented these ten Indian languages. Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan, in his book, The Origin Story of India’s States, gives us an account of the genesis of India’s states, presenting the incredible origin...
info_outline
314. India Votes 2024: Karnataka Elections (Part 4 of 4)
BIC TALKS
Karnataka elects 28 members to the Lok Sabha and is considered a crucial swing state (to borrow a term from American politics) in the forthcoming elections as the INDIA Alliance is hoping to make major gains here. But if history is any indicator, then the BJP has an advantage. In the past four parliamentary elections since 2004, the BJP has managed to win more seats than the Congress. In the elections of 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019, the BJP won 18, 19, 17 and 25 seats respectively. In the 2019 elections, the BJP, riding on a national wave that favoured the reelection of Prime Minister Narendra...
info_outline
313. India Votes 2024: Seeds of Democracy (Part 3 of 4)
BIC TALKS
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...
info_outline
312. India Votes 2024: Electoral Bonds (Part 2 of 4)
BIC TALKS
On the eve of the 2024 general election, electoral bonds have been thrust into the spotlight, representing a focal point in discussions surrounding political financing in India. These bonds, introduced as a means to ostensibly bring transparency to political funding, have instead been criticised for exacerbating the problem by allowing for anonymous and unrestricted donations to political parties. It leads to the question of what exactly the cost is of fighting an election and what it means for the future of India’s democracy. In this episode of BIC Talks, Prof. Trilochan Sastry,...
info_outline
311. India Votes 2024: Democracy vs Disinformation (Part 1 of 4)
BIC TALKS
Misinformation and fake news pose significant challenges in the electoral context in India, influencing public opinion, political discourse, and ultimately, democratic processes. With the widespread use of social media and messaging platforms, false narratives can spread rapidly, often targeting specific communities or political factions. This phenomenon not only undermines the credibility of information but also exacerbates societal divisions and hampers informed decision-making among voters. In India, where diverse perspectives and identities intersect, the proliferation of misinformation...
info_outline
310. The Gift that Keeps on Giving: The Life and Work of AK Ramanujan (Part 5 of 5)
BIC TALKS
"The Gift That Keeps Giving," is a special five-part BIC Talks mini-series on the life and work of A.K. Ramanujan. Join us as we venture into the rich tapestry of Ramanujan's legacy, featuring exclusive interviews with writers, artists, and scholars who share a profound connection with his work. With each episode, we unravel the enduring impact of Ramanujan’s poetry, translations, and scholarship, providing insights into the creative spirit that continues to inspire generations. Discover the man whose intellectual contributions remain a perpetual gift to the world of literature, art, and...
info_outline
309. The Gift that Keeps on Giving: The Life and Work of AK Ramanujan (Part 4 of 5)
BIC TALKS
"The Gift That Keeps Giving," is a special five-part BIC Talks mini-series on the life and work of AK Ramanujan. Join us as we venture into the rich tapestry of Ramanujan's legacy, featuring exclusive interviews with writers, artists, and scholars who share a profound connection with his work. With each episode, we unravel the enduring impact of Ramanujan’s poetry, translations, and scholarship, providing insights into the creative spirit that continues to inspire generations. Discover the man whose intellectual contributions remain a perpetual gift to the world of literature, art, and...
info_outline
308. The Gift that Keeps on Giving: The Life and Work of AK Ramanujan (Part 3 of 5)
BIC TALKS
"The Gift That Keeps Giving," is a special five-part BIC Talks mini-series on the life and work of A.K. Ramanujan. Join us as we venture into the rich tapestry of Ramanujan's legacy, featuring exclusive interviews with writers, artists, and scholars who share a profound connection with his work. With each episode, we unravel the enduring impact of Ramanujan’s poetry, translations, and scholarship, providing insights into the creative spirit that continues to inspire generations. Discover the man whose intellectual contributions remain a perpetual gift to the world of literature, art, and...
info_outlineThe ongoing crises in Ukraine and Gaza highlight the pressing need for a revamped international approach that recognizes the increasing autonomy of middle and smaller powers globally. This necessitates a rejection of attempts to revive a failed unilateral U.S. dominance or force diverse conflicts into an outdated "great power competition" model akin to the Cold War.
In both Ukraine and the Middle East, the United States has faced challenges in imposing its will, both militarily and diplomatically. Smaller nations have successfully resisted American-backed military efforts, and a substantial part of the global community diverges from endorsing U.S. diplomatic perspectives on international norms. Importantly, this opposition does not align with the Cold War paradigm, lacking the support of a superpower peer competitor.
The emerging world order is characterized by "regionalization," where middle and small powers worldwide feel empowered to bypass or defy U.S. interpretations of global norms based on localized interests and regional security considerations.
The roots of this situation trace back to the U.S. pursuit of unilateral power during the War on Terror, diminishing the legitimacy of the post–World War Two international order. This has led the international community to seek alternatives to a system perceived as granting unchecked power to the United States.
The U.S. foreign policy establishment must grapple with this newly deglobalized and regionalized world order, as failure to do so poses a significant threat to U.S. power and influence. Relationships with key emerging powers like India and traditional U.S. allies in Europe and Asia are susceptible to the de–globalizing and regionalizing forces observed in Ukraine and the Middle East.
In this episode of BIC Talks, renowned scholar, Dr. Faisal Devji makes sense of the enduring bewilderment that global history was and continues to be, offering a vantage point that is objective in understanding the enigmatic creature that is globalisation.
This episode is an extract from an in-person session that took place in December 2023 at the BIC premises, as part of Alliance’s Public Lecture Series.
Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.