A journal of essays, letters & unfinished arguments

Hashin Jithu

I write about the world.

Policy

2022

Attack on fraternity is an attack on the Indian Constitution.

13 Dec 2022 · 10 min

One of the hallmarks of Indian public discourse is the inexplicable urge to deflect a sane analysis of the nature of political processes. This doesn’t mean that the political processes are incredib...

2021

How the Taliban will seek to win the world's hearts and minds

21 Aug 2021 · 6 min

It is no secret now. The Talibani troops, a hotpotch coalition of nobodies - have taken over Afghanistan. They have somehow managed to cut through a modern army like a knife through the butter. But...

Making vaccines for the world.

20 May 2021 · 7 min

Vaccinating the world is, needless to emphasize, a complicated problem. It has technological, economic, social and political aspects that aren’t easily solved. As studies suggest that there is a hu...

2020

The era of global politics driving the local.

30 Nov 2020 · 5 min

In democracies, local political compulsions drive the policy. Often, there are mechanisms in place to make sure that these compulsions don’t lead to undesirable outcomes. This could be a wrong fore...

Appetite for a darker worldview.

10 Jun 2020 · 5 min

So these are the thoughts for the day.*

India is an intellectual project too. It must be protected.

7 May 2020 · 7 min

Nation states often find themselves in a great dilemma. This dilemma stems from the fact that more often, there is a wide gulf between its origin myths and the real circumstances under which they w...

Show your disagreement with CAA.

6 Jan 2020 · 1 min

Click here to show your disagreement with CAA. And make a missed call.

2019

Sagar, Sleep Walking.

24 Aug 2019 · 10 min

Reluctant lovers are the most despicable thing about humanity. It doesn’t matter what they are reluctant about. Whether in indulging with each other or in exploring the more amorous facets of life ...

A way forward for India.

20 May 2019 · 9 min

Can potentially dangerous outcomes of democracy be cited as a reason to prove the inefficacy of Democracy?

Of Data Democracy and beyond - Part 1.

12 Feb 2019 · 4 min

Democracy derives its legitimacy from “will of the people”. If the people are deprived of real information, their ability to make suitable decisions is impaired. This renders Democracy meaningless.

2018

The Disenfranchisement of Indian Farmer.

6 Dec 2018 · 7 min

Farmers constitute ~55% of Indian population. 75% Indians are directly or indirectly dependent on agricultural income. Put together, they constitute the largest population block in terms of socio-e...

The Courts alone won't do!

6 Sep 2018 · 2 min

Everytime we hear the Supreme Court of India making a progressive judgement, we are flooded with a bout of celebrations. But I, for that matter, have mixed feelings about this whole business.

Where did the American ideals of Liberty, Equality and unalienable rights come from?

10 Jul 2018 · 1 min

Read Hashin Jithu's answer to Where did the American ideas of "freedom", "liberty", "equality", and "unalienable rights" come from that the Founding Fathers held so dear? on Quora

How to kill a Democracy.

1 Jul 2018 · 4 min

Can dangerous outcomes prove the inefficacy of Democracy?

Small talk on affirmative action.

23 Apr 2018 · 3 min

Exercise of power has a sole purpose - to create exclusive right over resources. Like it or not - people will monopolise resources to the best of their abilities.

Caste and loathing in Indo-Pakistan.

14 Apr 2018 · 2 min

Pakistani Journalist Khaled Ahmed writes so often in Indian Express. His writings throw deep insights into the nature of his society. He admits that the process of nation building has hit a dead en...

About Identity Politics.

1 Apr 2018 · 1 min

Identity politics is a boon as well as a bane. It is divisive by definition. Instead of promoting a strong, unifying identity, emphasis is on old, parochial ones. These identities may have been a v...

2017

Ram, Rahim and religions of the world.

27 Aug 2017 · 3 min

As I am writing this, One lakh followers of Dera Sacha Sauda is holed up in the residence of Ram Rahim Singh. Since their violence against society has failed, the next logical step is violence a...

Triple Talaq

22 Aug 2017 · 4 min

A few weeks ago, I told my mom that they are discussing about banning Triple Talaq(TT).

How you should be teaching values to your kid.

23 Jun 2017 · 2 min

Kids should have values, undisputed truth. But how should you teach them?

2015

Interesting times are coming!

27 Jan 2015 · 1 min

#####About the government ad that omitted the words “Secular” and “Socialist” from the preamble of India.

2014

Enough with this foreign language frenzy!

26 Nov 2014 · 2 min

English was there around in India much before I was born. I was exposed to it around the same time I started learning Malayalam.