The Swaddle: Recent Episodes
The Swaddle
Dr. Anshu Malhotra, historian, is in conversation with Anahita Sachdev, producer at The Swaddle, on reformist bazaar literature, the attack against the native 'dai' and the writings of the Sufi poetess Piro, in colonial Punjab. Featuring: Dr. Anshu Malhotra Edited by: Shambhvi Rao Produced by: Anahita Sachdev, Shrishti Malhotra Creative Supervisor: Karla Bookman
Dr. Priyanka Basu, performance studies scholar, is in conversation with Anahita Sachdev, producer at The Swaddle, on 19th century farcical literature, Bengali oral traditions and art as a form of protest. Credits: Featuring: Dr. Priyanka Basu Edited by: Shambhvi Rao Produced by: Anahita Sachdev, Shrishti Malhotra Creative Supervisor: Karla Bookman
Dr. Swati Moitra, cultural studies scholar, is in conversation with Anahita Sachdev, producer at The Swaddle, on reading cultures, women's travel in the 19th century and the potential of femslash fanfiction.
At the time code 5:30, Dr. Swati is referring to the work of Gaganendranath Tagore.
Dr. Manisha Pathak-Shelat, communication studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on social media use among India's adolescents and what it means to be media literate in today's digital environment.
Dr. Inderpal Grewal, gender and sexuality studies scholar, is in conversation with Anahita Sachdev, producer at The Swaddle, on the first modern Indian travelogues, Pandita Ramabai's advocacy for Indian widows, and media portrayals of honour killing.
Dr. Harleen Singh, literature and gender studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding the different perspectives through which the story of the Rani of Jhansi have been told.
Dr. V.S. Elizabeth, legal historian, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the problems with how Indian criminal law frames sexual violence, judges' perceptions of domestic violence, and what feminist jurisprudence entails.
Dr. Urvashi Aneja, founding director at Tandem Research, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on how Big Tech shapes public discourse in India, the power asymmetry between Big Tech creators and consumers, and why AI isn't a magic bullet that will address all our problems.
Dr. Chaitanya Lakkimsetti, sociologist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on how the AIDS epidemic changed the Indian state's relationship with sex workers, and the problems with the moral panic around bar dancing in Maharashtra.
Dr. Mytheli Sreenivas, historian and gender studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on women writing about the need for desire in marriage in Tamil magazines, the complicated impact of modern property laws, and the Dravidian nationalist vision for casteless marriage in colonial South India.
Dr. Pavithra Suryanarayan, political scientist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding how Brahmin elite 'hollowed out' state capacity in colonial India, and why Indians vote to protect status interests.
Anja Kovacs, Director of the Internet Democracy Project, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on using the feminist idea of consent to prevent data misuse, how anonymity can empower women online, and why we need to reimagine how data governance works.
Dr. Rajni Palriwala, sociologist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer, on understanding the relationship between migration and marriage, and why middle class Indians hesitate to outsource childcare.
Professor Shakuntala Banaji, media studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding fake news as propaganda, and probing the role of social media in political community formation.
As filmmakers challenge highly controversial amendments to the Cinematograph Act, The Swaddle team discusses the history of the censor board in India, and whether we really need it.
Dr. Usha Raman, Communication Studies researcher and professor, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on cyberfeminism, algorithm biases, and reimagining the internet.
This week, we discuss how rom coms depict dream jobs, “I don’t dream of labour” memes, and the downfall of girlboss culture.
As Indians come down on Nikhil Kamath for beating Vishwanathan Anand at chess with the help of a computer, The Swaddle team dissects what we think of cheating, and whether cutting corners can ever be a good thing.
Dr. Amrita Nandy, independent researcher and writer, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the romanticisation of maternal sacrifice, perceptions of voluntary non-mothers, and the imposition of caregiving on women.
This week we discuss birth strikers, climate change, and the ethics of having more children.
'Respectfully Disagree' is The Swaddle Team’s weekly podcast series, in which we get together to discuss and dissect the issues we passionately differ on.
As class 12 board exams get cancelled around the country, we discuss Math test nightmares, the pressures attached to exam scores, and whether there is a point to school exams at all.
Dr. Sapna Desai, public health specialist at Population Council, is is conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on why adolescent girls avoid seeking care for sexual health issues, the curious case of early hysterectomies in India, and how we need to do broaden our understanding of women's reproductive health.
This week, we discuss depictions of trauma in pop culture, the difference between adversity and trauma, and why we're quick to dismiss people's traumatic experiences.
Dr. Sharmila Rudrappa, sociologist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the problems with media portrayals of commercial surrogates, the emotional labour that surrogacy entails, and what it means for commercial surrogacy to be feminist.
Dr. Jessica Hinchy, historian at NTU, Singapore, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the colonial "panic" surrounding the hijra community in the 19th century, the circumstances leading to their criminalisation, and the ways in which family became the focus of surveillance under the 1871 Criminal Tribes Act.
This week, we sat down with journalists Kalpana Sharma and Ragamalika Karthikeyan to discuss their experiences of reporting on sexual violence, and what sensitive and intersectional media coverage can look like.
Dr. Asha Nadkarni, literature and gender studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the history of eugenic feminism in India and how eugenic thinking underpins transnational surrogacy today.
This week, we unpack why people don't take a ’rebound' seriously, and the problems with how we label romantic relationships.
This week, we discuss our instinct to flee during a crisis, and whether there can be a responsible way to check out.
Dr. Ashwini Tambe, gender studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on debates around girlhood, age of non-marital sexual consent, and state regulation of prostitution in colonial India.
This week, we discuss our need to apportion blame in a crisis, and whether it leads to true accountability.
Dr. Naisargi Dave, anthropologist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on letter exchange as a form of community building for women loving women in the 1990s, the fraught relationship between the lesbian movement and the autonomous women’s movement in India, and why legal rights do not constitute justice.
This week, we debate the dilemmas around celebrities amplifying social justice issues, and what it means to be an 'apolitical' influencer.
Dr. Ishita Pande, historian, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on Phulmoni Dasi and the problems with gender justice debates around child marriage in India.
Dr. Prathama Banerjee, historian and political theorist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on the role that demography played in the rise of communal conflict, the masculinist nature of modern politics, and the problems with how we categorise 'tribes' in India.
This week, we discuss Prince Philip, Kobe Bryant, and Rishi Kapoor, and unpack the debates around when it’s okay to speak ill of the dead.
This week, we discuss whether it’s okay to have a ‘type,' and when having a type crosses into harmful stereotyping.
Dr. Amita Bhide, urban studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on histories of informal settlements in India, and how the struggling for housing has become political.
Dr. Amina Yaqin, Reader in Urdu and Postcolonial Studies, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding Islamophobia, and why the burka is viewed as a symbol of Islamic oppression.
This week, we discuss our love-hate relationship with pop culture from the '90s and early 2000s.
Dr. Mitra Sharafi, legal historian, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on why the anti-abortion law was poorly enforced in colonial India, and how forensics took shape at the time.
This week, we discuss ripped jeans, value education in schools, and how mainstream cinema portrays Indian cultural values.
This week, we discuss the moral panic over Bombay Begums, and whether children need to be protected from onscreen depictions of sex.
Dr. Sanjam Ahluwalia, historian at Northern Arizona University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on how middle-class men led India's birth control advocacy in the 19th century, and why reproductive rights is such a fraught issue around the world.
As the world reels from the Meghan and Harry interview, we discuss the relevance of royalty in India, and how our obsession with dynasty impacts Indian society and culture.
Dr. Shampa Roy, literature scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about why widows were villains in early Bangla detective novels, portrayals of women criminals in early daroga accounts, and descriptions of zenanas in British women's travel writings.
This week, we discuss conspicuous consumption at Indian weddings, shopping as aspiration, and whether anyone can truly be an ethical consumer.
Dr. Ayona Datta, Professor in Urban Geography in University College London, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding infrastructural violence and what it means to make Indian cities safe for women.
This week, we dissect what makes us look down on reality TV and who stands to lose when we consume 'real' drama.
Dr. Maya Dodd, Culture Studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on prisoners' narratives of the Indian emergency, the role the press played at the time, and how highly publicised deaths have impacted political community formation in India.
This week, we discuss gym culture, conflating thinness with fitness, and the class connotations of a 'fit' body.
Dr. Aarti Sethi, anthropologist at UC Berkeley, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, on understanding debt, distress and social relations in agrarian societies in India.
This week, we discuss pop culture's obsession with “spicing up your sex life,” how much sex is enough, and the benefits of other forms of intimacy.
Dr. Veena Poonacha, Women's Studies scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the Indian feminist movement in the 1950s, the first public debates on Hindu women's property rights, and why violence against women is on the fringes of human rights discourse.
Dr. Jinee Lokaneeta, Professor and Chair of Political Science and International Relations at Drew University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the absence of public debate on state torture in India, the murder of Thangjam Manorama, and the use of police violence at peaceful protests.
This week, we discuss our perceptions of public vulnerability, from politicians' tears to athletes' anger on the field.
Dr. G. Arunima, Professor and Director at Kerala Council for Historical Research, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about Ravi Varma's legacy as a 'public artist,' how family photos reflect domestic hierarchies, and why we've misunderstood the nature of matriliny in Kerala.
From secret debts to sex scandals, in this week’s episode, we explore why people love to blame the person caught in their partner’s 'mess.'
This week, we discuss Tandav, The Satanic Verses, and the many times art has offended religious sentiments.
Dr. Amina Yaqin, Urdu and Postcolonial Studies reader at SOAS, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about how a female readership led to the growth of the Urdu novel in the 19th century, and understanding women's life narratives through autobiographies.
In this week’s episode, we discuss pop culture depictions of the homemaker, why women are conditioned to do unpaid housework, and what it would take for society to recognise the ‘invisible’ work women do.
Dr. Mrinalini Sinha, Professor at University of Michigan, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the emergence of the stereotype of the 'effeminate Bengali,' why Katherine Mayo's 1927 book 'Mother India' became controversial, and how women got divided along caste lines in the fight for their right to vote in colonial India.
Dr. Geeta Patel, Professor at University of Virginia, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about why Ismat Chughtai's Lihaaf was charged for obscenity, the 'homely' girl in matrimonial ads, and challenging notions of 'respectability' in Indian society.
Dr. Shohini Ghosh, essayist on popular culture and documentary filmmaker, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the changing notions of media censorship, Indian movie stars embracing queerness, and why Rituparno Ghosh remains the most important figure in the world of queer regional cinema.
In this week’s episode, we discuss the ethics of eating animals, changing perceptions of veganism, and why food is political.
Dr. Dipti Khera, art historian at New York University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about how looking closely at art can reveal the moods of a place and time, what lake palaces from the 18th century tell us about the relationship between pleasure and water, and the ways in which local Indian artisans impacted British consumer tastes.
Dr. Ranjani Mazumdar, Professor of Cinema Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the death of the film poster, Helen and the birth of cabaret in Bollywood, and how globalisation impacted on-screen depictions of female sexuality.
This week, we look back at the year we lost, when 'imma bounce' became a criminal conspiracy, dalgona coffee was a thing, and the spirit of resistance reverberated around the world.
Dr. Janaki Nair, historian, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about why religious scriptures formed the basis for colonial law in India, how women fought against child marriage in the 20th century, and why Indu Malhotra's dissenting judgement in the Sabarimala verdict is significant.
This week, we discuss teen cyberbullying, drawing the line in adult-teen interactions, and how liable teenagers are for what they do on the internet.
Dr. Ulka Anjaria, Professor of English at Brandeis University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about why critics misunderstand the form of Bollywood cinema, and how popular culture subverts traditional Indian norms on love and desire.
In this week's episode, we discuss the trope of the 'jealous woman,' why jealousy is seen as an attribute of romantic love, and how we can deal with jealousy in a healthy way.
Dr. Priya Satia, historian at Stanford University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the evolution of the discipline of history, how Indian nationalists shaped British intellectual movements, and why historians need to speak truth to power.
This week, the team dissects how the label 'anti-national' has evolved in its purpose and meaning, and how societal perceptions of what is anti-national have shaped culture.
Do fan cultures help us create a sense of belonging, or do they lead to problematic hero worshipping? This week, we’re delving into whether fandoms are beneficial.
Dr. Shailaja Paik, historian talks about the factors that have impacted Dalit women's access to and quality of education in India over time.
In this week's episode, we discuss how much a person can be held responsible for another's mental health, the gendered dimensions of caregiving, and depictions of mental health and romantic relationships in pop culture.
Dr. Charu Gupta, historian at Delhi University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about pubic debates around gender and sexuality in 19th century India.
Dr. Jayakumari Devika, feminist historian and social critic, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the Channar rebellion in the 19th century, women's writing, and changing gender relations in Kerala.
After two celebrities were charged for public nudity in Goa last week, The Swaddle team is discussing the line between nudity and obscenity, and India’s relationship with nudity as “indecent.”
Dr. Divya Kannan, historian at Shiv Nadar University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the evolution of education in India, and how caste and gender played a huge role in access.
Radhika Chopra, sociologist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about South Asian masculinities, and what it means for heterosexual men to be feminists.
We discuss the hypocrisy narratives around Arnab Goswami’s arrest, AOC wearing expensive clothes on the Vanity Fair cover, and where the ‘practice what you preach’ rhetoric comes from.
Dr. Atreyee Majumder, historical and political anthropologist, talks about how colonialism shaped Indian environmentalism, and the ways in which capitalism impacts space and time.
Dr. Payal Arora talks about the need to 'decolonise' digital privacy, digital leisure and romance in India.
This week, we discuss the line between concern for people's health and shaming them, and how cultural contexts impact our ideas of good health.
This week, we discuss the origins of using the word ‘toxic’ to describe human relationships, the difficulties of cutting off people who are ‘bad for you,’ and why toxicity lies in the eye of the beholder.
Lata Mani, historian, writer and filmmaker, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the colonial debate on sati, feminist discourse online, and why we need to engage with spiritual thought critically.
Dr. Nilika Mehrotra, Professor of Sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Disability Studies Scholar, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the importance of language we use for people's disabilities, and the ways in which women with disabilities have been rendered invisible by society.
In this episode, we explore why brands use social justice messaging for selling products, the problems with femvertising and pinkwashing, and what it means for companies to take a stand in an increasingly polarised world.
Dr. Anita Ghai, disability rights activist and professor, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, Editor of The Swaddle, about disability in Indian mythology and cinema, the rise of disability rights movements in India, and the evolution of perspectives on sexuality and disability.
Dr. Amrita Sen, environmental sociologist at IIT-Kharagpur, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the fraught relationship between local communities and natural conservation in India.
Kanchi Kohli and Manju Menon, environment researchers at the Centre for Policy Research, are in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder and editor at The Swaddle, about environmental impact assessments in India, and the impact of environmental degradation on local communities.
Niharika Banerjea, sociologist at Ambedkar University, Delhi, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about transnational feminisms, the queer critique of happiness, and the revolutionary possibilities of friendship.
In this week’s episode, we explore the trope of the ‘tattletale,' how pop culture treats snitches, and whether whistleblowing is more noble than snitching.
In this week’s episode, we discuss the boundaries of female solidarity and the need for intersectionality in feminist sisterhoods.
In this week’s episode, we discuss what it means to believe survivors, and whether the MeToo movement needs to shift its focus away from social media allegations.
Dolly Kikon, anthropologist at University of Melbourne, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about why the Baghjan crisis is a global issue, exploitative politics of resource extraction, and how 'development' often excludes local communities.
In this week’s episode, we discuss the problem with the ‘parlour didi’ trope, dealing with our internalised misogyny, and how women in power sometimes uphold the patriarchy.
Dr. Vibhuti Patel, former professor at the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the autonomous women’s movement, gender-responsive budgeting, and the problems with women’s political representation in India.
Seema Bawa, Professor of History at Delhi University, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the common misconceptions about South Asian art, whether it is possible to read gender roles in early Indian art, and how artists view feminism differently today.
Dr. Ruth Vanita, gender and sexuality studies scholar, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, Editor of The Swaddle, about her latest novel, narratives of same-sex love in early India, and the challenges of running one of India’s first feminist magazines back in the 1970s.
In this week’s episode, we discuss the depictions of vain women in pop culture, how social media has changed our relationship with vanity, and the line between vanity and self-love.
In this week’s episode, the team is heavily divided on how we feel about chivalry. Tune in for an honest discussion on the gendered nature of chivalry, why it’s something a lot of women find attractive, and whether it could be a good thing.
Ranjana Dave, independent dance practitioner and writer, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the evolution of Indian classical dance, and what it means for dance to be political.
In this week’s episode, the team discusses whether friends should help us spot red flags in romantic relationships, whether family expectations for romantic partners have any value, and what it really means when friends expect a partner to ‘fit in.’
In this week’s episode, the team discusses insult humour, the line between friendly mocking and bullying, and the gendered dynamics of roasting friends.
Safeena Husain, social worker and founder of Educate Girls, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about families' attitude towards girls' education, and the impact of the pandemic on girls' enrolment and learning outcomes in schools.
Suprabha Seshan, ecologist and environmental educator, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the importance of biomes, valuing non-human entities on earth, and why we need to take the climate emergency seriously.
In this week’s episode, we discuss pop culture depictions of generational wealth, whether inheritance is a major cause for inequality, and if legacies can be used for good.
Prof. Rosemary Dzuvichu, scholar and activist, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the lack of understanding of indigenous cultures, the course of the women's movement in Nagaland, and feminist narratives in Naga literature.
In the spirit of our collective struggle with setting emotional boundaries during this pandemic, we’re re-releasing an older episode. In this, we discuss the infamous ‘I’m at capacity’ meme, unconditional love, and limits to the emotional labour we should do for friends.
Prita Jha, legal activist and Founder of Peace and Equality Cell, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about the problems with implementation of laws pertaining to violence against women and child sexual abuse.
Samyukta Subramanian, Program Head at Pratham Education Foundation, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about how we need to adapt to prevent girls’ education from suffering a setback, and why parents need to be key stakeholders.
Dr. Mary John, Professor at the Centre for Women's Development Studies, New Delhi, is in conversation with Shrishti Malhotra, producer at The Swaddle, about the relationship between feminism and the nation, the skewed sex ratio in India, and changing attitudes towards sexual violence.
Dr. Aliya Rao, sociologist at Singapore Management University is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about how families in heterosexual setups view paid and unpaid work, and who does the emotional labour of dealing with unemployment in a family.
In this week’s episode, the team discusses what Indian TV shows taught us about ideal ‘bahus,’ why young people can’t talk back to uncles and aunties, and how women end up bearing the burden of devotion to elders in families.
In this week's episode, the team breaks down thirst comments, where to draw the line between objectification and compliments, and whether there can be such a thing as ethical flirting. Spoiler alert: We don't reach a consensus. At all.
Madhavi Menon, Professor of English at Ashoka University, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about the problems with categorising desire, and its varied manifestations in religious texts, cinema and popular culture.
Dr. Sarah Pinto, anthropologist at Tufts University, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about the links between women's societal position and the diagnosis and treatment of their mental illnesses, and the powerful counter-narratives of women's trauma in South Asian literature.
In this week’s episode, the team breaks down how social media has changed public debate, whether our tone in calling people out matters, and if dunking on problematic people online brings down the level of discourse.
Dr. Mahuya Bandyopadhyay, an anthropologist whose research revolves around the sociology of prisons in India, speaks with us about the idea of imprisonment, human rights, and the linkages between violence within the prison system, and violence in society at large.
In this week’s episode, two founding members of Kinky Collective talk to us about misconceptions around kink and what kink communities can teach us about consent.
In this week's episode, the team breaks down our perceptions of infidelity, the gendered pop culture 'cheating' tropes, and why it's time to reframe the narrative around adultery.
Dr. Harini Nagendra, ecologist and Professor of Sustainability at Azim Premji University, is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about the need for re-imagining environmental sustainability, reframing the development versus environment binary, and creating more equal cities by fostering urban commons.
In this week's episode, the team dissects notions of romance in pop culture, the pros and cons of a long-term romantic partnership, and how we can normalise alternatives.
Dr. Himanshu Burte, architect and urbanist at IIT-Bombay, speaks to Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about the connections between infectious disease and urban planning in India, and the impact that COVID-19 will have.
Dr. Jeemol Unni, economist at Ahmedabad University, speaks to Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about the impact that the jobs crisis will have on women in the formal and informal workforce, and what steps need to be taken to mitigate that impact.
Rajiv Khandelwal, co-founder of Aajeevika Bureau, has been working on ground for migrant labour rights for over 15 years now. In this podcast, he talks to Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about the seasonal migrant worker at the centre of the crisis in India today -- what their conditions have been like historically, and what needs to be done to ensure the safety and security of workers in the long-run.
Dr. Ashwin Balagopal, Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, who specialises in studying infectious disease, speaks with Karla Bookman, founder-editor at The Swaddle, about hydroxychloroquine, anti-body testing, herd immunity, and some of the biggest lessons learnt from public policy making thus far. And the way ahead.
Dr. Vikram Patel, psychiatrist and professor, at Harvard Medical School, talks to Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about the unique challenges India faces with regards to mental health during the pandemic, and possible solutions to grapple with the treatment gap in India.
In this week's episode, pioneering trans rights activist Grace Banu and the director of Mariwala Health Initiative, Raj Mariwala join us to discuss who bears the responsibility for education about social justice, hierarchies within activist movements, and what reckoning with privilege and solidarity in these times actually entails.
As protests in support of Black Lives Matter gained strength this week, some parts of the U.S. experienced looting and destruction. This raised questions about whether violence has a place in protest as a valid means of resistance for the marginalised. In this week's episode, we discuss the discourse around violent resistance we've heard in India, and how we might begin to reframe those narratives.
Respectfully Disagree Freaky Friday is our all new RD format, where The Swaddle team members switch sides to argue against their own opinions. First up: capitalism. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted social inequality, which has exacerbated critiques of capitalism. The Swaddle team dissects if capitalism is to blame, or if we're glossing over deeper issues in pinning our despair on a scapegoat.
Rangita Nandy, Devika Bhagat and Nupur Asthana - the creator-producer, writer and director (Season 2) behind Amazon's web series 'Four More Shots Please' discuss their creative process, how they engage with criticism, and why they wanted to tell a story of women that brings joy.
In this week's episode of Respectfully Disagree, some special guests join us from Pakistan to dissect desi culture, the politics of 'besharami', and feminist activism in the midst of a pandemic.
Dr. Madhu Pai is in conversation with Karla Bookman, founder-editor of The Swaddle, about scientific research and global health policy in the time of COVID-19.
With #boyslockerroom, the discussion has been about raising boys right, to be 'good' men. But how does society define a 'good' man who has committed bad acts? The team discusses, on this week’s #RespectfullyDisagree.
Is the lockdown really going to change beauty norms forever, or is this just a temporary vacation? In this week's episode, the team discusses celeb beauty routines, influencer culture, how the lockdown has changed their own relationships with beauty, and whether it will make the idea of beauty as choice more real.
In this week's episode, the team takes a detour from disagreeing, and respectfully comes together to discuss some of the biggest conspiracy theories about the origins of COVID-19, and what they tell us about who we are as a society.
As thousands of migrant labourers took to the streets in Bandra, Mumbai yesterday, as they had before in Delhi and Surat, it became impossible to ignore the harsh reality of this lockdown, and its crushing impact on over 70% of India's population. We sat down with Reetika Khera and Jayati Ghosh, two of India's leading development economists, to discuss the socio-economic ramifications of the lockdown extension, and what we can do to mitigate the crisis for the urban poor and migrant labourers.
In this edition of Remote Respectfully Disagree, the team talks about the national work from home experiment during lockdown, and whether it will impact our work culture long-term.
From Katrina Kaif doing jhaadu and bartan, to Gal Gadot posting an embarrassing ‘Imagine’ celeb montage, has the coronavirus pandemic and the national lockdowns that have followed in its wake made celebrities more relatable, or has it laid bare their privilege? Listen to The Swaddle team break down our celebrity crisis, in this week's episode.
From panic stockpiling, to quarantining, to communicating information, in this week's episode, the team thinks through the pandemic and the role of the individual v/s the state.
Ever since the internet took over our lives, catfishing has been an integral part of online interactions. But is it okay to fake your virtual identity to forge a relationship with another person? The Swaddle team weighs in on this week's episode, where we also reach an important realisation about catfishing in Bollywood, and a team member reveals herself to be a catfish (kind of).
Images of graphic violence can help to document and inform in socially and politically turbulent times. But the victims of that violence don't get a say in how those images are seen and distributed. In this week's episode, Rajvi, Liesl and Aditi discuss the ethics of taking and circulating these images of violence.
From whether the moon landing was a hoax, to if Bose is still alive, who doesn't like a good conspiracy theory? In this week's episode, the team respectfully conspires about some of our favourite conspiracies, why we believe, and what these stand for in an era of fake news.
When the Aam Aadmi Party sweeped the Delhi elections last week, an unexpected talking point was the way Arvind Kejriwal celebrated the victory with his wife. This got us thinking about how Indian politicians rarely display their personal, romantic sides and why. In this week's episode, listen to us pick apart Indian politicians' love and sex lives, and whether we should care.
Extremist groups are attacking Valentine's Day again. This year, the Bajrang Dal in Hyderabad have threatened to disrupt celebrations, asking the youth to commemorate the killing of soldiers in the 2019 Pulwama attack instead. In a country where premarital sex is still taboo, and extremist groups threaten and attack couples enjoying the holiday, is celebrating Valentine's Day a revolutionary assertion? The team weighs in, on this week's episode.
Last week, Kunal Kamra heckled Arnab Goswami on a flight, and it became national news. While the reaction by private airlines and the Indian government was criticised by national and international media, many people seemed to be divided on heckling as a means of protest. In this week's episode, we discuss the method and its effects and implications.
The way early 2020 is shaping up, cancel culture is going to continue to play a part on our social discourse. In this week's episode of #RespectfullyDisagree, we ask: Is cancel culture a harmful result of social media mob mentality, or is it one of the few ways for the marginalized to express rage online, and hold public figures accountable?
Everyone seems to get drawn in by celebrity gossip. But does it have any cultural impact, and what does the way we gossip tell us about where we are as a society?
The team weighs in on monogamy's place in our current conversations around love and desire.
Social media has undoubtedly played a major role in enabling mobilisation, discourse and discussion around the ongoing anti-NRC and CAA protests here in India. But with paid trolls, doctored videos, fake news, and possibilities to replace on-ground participation with online activism, is social media more of a bane or a boon?
From the Hugh Grant regurgitations of the past to recent rom coms like The Big Sick, the rom com has become an embattled film genre -- is it dead or is it simply evolving? This week, the Swaddle team dissects our favorite, and mostly problematic rom coms, and whether filmmakers have managed to elevate the genre to fit with feminist times.
In this week's episode of Respectfully Disagree, the team discusses the origins of body positivity, the problem with icons, the corporatisation of causes, and the benefits of a post-beauty world.
Mardaani 2, the sequel to the intense cop drama starring Rani Mukerji, is a ‘women-centric’ Bollywood movie dealing with sexual violence. This got the team thinking about depictions of sexual violence and rape on screen -- can it ever be authentic and sensitive?
From internet memes to WhatsApp groups, the 'men are trash' rhetoric is everywhere. But is this discourse alienating or necessary to vent and heal? Find out where the team stands in this week’s episode.
Remember the 'I'm at capacity' meme? This week, we take inspiration from the polarised opinions regarding whether friendships should have boundaries, if unconditional love is a thing, and if there are any limits to emotional labor we do for friends.
In this episode, we dig deep into a phenomenon that has become an integral part of modern dating and relationships-ghosting. We’re unpacking the psychology behind it, its gendered dynamics, ghosting friends, how to deal with it, and if it’s okay to go cold turkey and never return.
From Hillary Clinton to Mallika Dua, many people over time have stuck by family members when serious claims of sexual harassment have been made against them. In this episode, the team talks about whether it's okay to support a friend/family member who's been accused of sexual harassment, and how you reconcile yourself to something like this as a feminist?
From Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra to Jay-Z and Beyoncé, age gaps in relationships are always the subject of a lot of speculation and conversation, especially when you break down the scrutiny by gender. Think this through with our team in the third episode of our all-new podcast series ‘Respectfully Disagree’.
What do Kabir Singh and PewDiePie have in common? They're both on a wide-ranging spectrum of problematic cultural content. In the second episode of Respectfully Disagree, we dissect what responsibility content creators have toward their audience.
It’s been two years since Raya Sarkar came out with the List of Sexual Harassers in Academia. And the #MeToo movement broke out in a big way in India last October. In the first episode of #RespectfullyDisagree, we discuss the movement and the way forward.
Finally, a family of courtesans from the secretive Mujra community opens up. A trained Urdu poet and a singer-dancer discuss their craft and their place in society.
Hosted and produced by: Kunal Purohit Edited by: Sapan Taneja Music: Edmund Leung, The Interzone Collective; Album: Qualia
Bombay has a rich courtesan legacy, but it’s shrouded in secrecy now. Our host, Kunal, tries to find a connection to this insular world.
Hosted and produced by: Kunal Purohit Edited by: Sapan Taneja Music: Edmund Leung, The Interzone Collective; Album: Qualia
With Mujra in decline, a neighborhood that was once the nerve center of Bombay’s courtesan culture struggles to stay alive.
Hosted and produced by: Kunal Purohit Edited by: Sapan Taneja Music: Edmund Leung, The Interzone Collective; Album: Qualia
A mother-daughter courtesan duo reflects on their divergent paths, and how much this matrilineal culture has changed in just one generation.
Hosted and produced by: Kunal Purohit Edited by: Sapan Taneja Music: Edmund Leung, The Interzone Collective; Album: Qualia
We sat down with Gayatri Rangachari Shah, journalist and co-author of the new book Changemakers: Twenty Women Transforming Bollywood from Behind the Scenes, to talk about the writing process, launching a book about Bollywood in the midst of MeToo India, and what she thinks about the pace of progress for women in male-dominated industries.
For Indian women, going out alone after dark has always been off-limits. The night is a Lakshman Rekha, the line that they must not cross if they want to be safe. So, what happens when women cross this boundary? This four-part series brings you the stories of women whose everyday existence is a quiet rebellion against the barriers that society, family, and patriarchal norms have built around them. Brought to you by TheSwaddle.com.
For Indian women, going out alone after dark has always been off-limits. The night is a Lakshman Rekha, the line that they must not cross if they want to be safe. So, what happens when women cross this boundary? This four-part series brings you the stories of women whose everyday existence is a quiet rebellion against the barriers that society, family, and patriarchal norms have built around them. Brought to you by TheSwaddle.com.
For Indian women, going out alone after dark has always been off-limits. The night is a Lakshman Rekha, the line that they must not cross if they want to be safe. So, what happens when women cross this boundary? This four-part series brings you the stories of women whose everyday existence is a quiet rebellion against the barriers that society, family, and patriarchal norms have built around them. Brought to you by TheSwaddle.com.
For Indian women, going out alone after dark has always been off-limits. The night is a Lakshman Rekha, the line that they must not cross if they want to be safe. So, what happens when women cross this boundary? This four-part series brings you the stories of women whose everyday existence is a quiet rebellion against the barriers that society, family, and patriarchal norms have built around them. Brought to you by TheSwaddle.com.