Ep. 38: India’s caste system as seen through higher education

‘Climate change’ according to Dr Camelia Dewan, is used as a term to attract donor funding, but to what extent does this funding actually help those in need? In this fascinating episode on the Bengal Delta, we take a deep dive into the world of NGOs and explore how short-term projects in the development industry can have a negative effect on the communities most effected by infrastructure intervention. With microcredits known for their high interest rates, the repayment for these is very high, which can result in social stigmas (and the marrying off of daughters) for the poorest of women who are unable to repay their weekly debts. To learn more, check out Dr Dewan’s book on ‘Misreading the Bengal Delta'.

‘Bodily functions’ are not normally brought into discussions meant for the general public. But what happens when those ‘functions’ take place in the workplace and/or around one’s working environment? In this episode with Dr Chiara Cocco, we discuss taboo topics like ‘menstruation’ and ‘breastfeeding’ and why these basic, normal aspects of the reproductive process can be seen as disruptive to the workplace. With some companies offering policies like ‘period leave’ for those with more serious biological conditions, the shame, disgust and concealment associated with periods means that some employees suffer in silence. This is made that much more difficult when some female employees are less sympathetic to those colleagues who are struggling. If you have found yourself in a similar position, feel free to leave a comment below or write us directly if you would like to share your story so that others know that they are not alone.

Whenever anyone hears of students who are ‘kicked out’ of school, the responses as a whole tend to be negative towards students who are viewed as ‘troubled’ rather than towards educational government policies that have been put in place. With the UK's Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) showing mixed results, their effectiveness is not always guaranteed, resulting in many students feeling like they are ‘forgotten’ leading to more disruptive student behaviour. In this November episode with anthropologist at UCL, Dr Alison Macdonald and Secondary teacher, Sally Dennehy, we discuss the uncomfortable truths that school exclusions have on students, particularly amongst England’s rural youths, and how permanent exclusion from mainstream education can affect students’ identities and their place within society.

Warning: This episode contains stories involving child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. ‘Stigma’ and ‘silence’ are two powerful reactions when it comes to child sexual abuse, so much so that the lack of response from society has had lasting effects on victims into adulthood. In this important episode with Dr William Tantum of the University of Bristol, we discuss his recent work on the largest independent inquiry into child sexual abuse cases of children in England and Wales, while we explore the institutional failings that were designed to protect children in education and other professional environments. Working on the back of the Jimmy Savile case, which affected hundreds of children over several decades, Tantum’s work on ‘The Truth Project’, the ‘Network for Promoting Change’, and ‘Challenging Silences’ should be a reminder that regardless of the taboo, reports of child sexual abuse should never be ignored, and victims of trauma should always have a space where they are listened to and reminded that their voice matters. To access our show notes, head to: coffeeandcocktailspodcast.com Like our show? Then consider becoming a Patron starting at £1 per month. It's support from our Patrons that really helps to keep the show going. Sign up now to receive a 7-day FREE trial. https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcocktailspodcast

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The West’s understanding of Pakistan is largely based on (social) media portrayals of a country in conflict, effected by terrorism and continued brutality. Women’s rights, it is said, are infringed upon, especially when it comes to education, as evidenced by Malala who survived an attack that almost left her for dead. But what if we were to tell you that there is more to Pakistan than initially meets the eye? And that the country is steeped is a multicultural layout that extends well beyond its city borders? This multilingual, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious country has largely been overlooked by its leaders who have tried to impose a monolithic identity in response to its empire-based past. The result is a Muslim, Urdu (and English)- speaking identity established by the garrison state, which sweeps under the rug Pakistan’s diverse identities that exist within. With cultural influences coming from India, other parts of South East Asia, Saudi Arabia, as well as Turkey, anthropologist Sonia Gulzeb Abbasi explains to us what it means to be Pakistani today.

According to Eugenia: 'Mexico, a high middle income country, is the place where professionals work more hours than anywhere else in the world (OCDE), and 60% of its population lives in poverty (CONEVAL). Working 8 hours, six days a week, with a daily commute of 3 hours means people are exhausted, and their remaining time is just sufficient to do chores and rest a bit, forget about checking on children, socialising, exercising, cultivating other interests and caring for others. Imagine the stress levels and the socioeconomic impact of this on society as a whole. On top of that, 40% of people with formal jobs cannot even afford proper food for their families, and we have not even reached the conversation about clothing and housing. Furthermore, four years ago I moved to the South, Mexico´s poorest region, where I encountered realities that are as harsh as in Africa, and the number of them are kind of overwhelming. It feels like a breaking point for me. I cannot help but raise awareness about these issues, and hope that more people will join in transforming these realities for the best. A CLARIFICATION NOTE During the show I mentioned how Mexico was dubbed “the perfect dictatorship” as the electoral bodies were subjected to the government, which is true. As a result, we had a one-ruling party for over 70 years. However, I forgot to mention during the show that in 1990 a new system was negotiated and by 2020 it was considered one of the most robust in the world. This system has overseen the rotation of power among the three main political parties, and it is now under threat as the current dominant party relentlessly tries to pass unconstitutional law reforms taking advantage of their majority in the legislative cameras, influencing judicial decisions, and blocking the operations of both the electoral and transparency institutions, by slashing their budgets and failing to allocate enough representatives to reach quorum.'

The caste system in India is deeply embedded into the historical and psychological foundations of the Indian psyche, so much so that after the post-colonial era it still very much functions as a part of Indian identity. In this episode with Anthropologist Pragati Gupta, she provides us with her personal accounts of what it means to be a person from a marginalized community who has worked their way into higher education. By discussing the Indian government’s ‘reservation policy’ through its attempts to provide better opportunities for lower castes to access university, she explains the mental health repercussions that some 1st generational university students feel when categorized by the government as ‘marginalized’ and/or ‘backwards’ in comparison to their upper-caste peers.

NEW SERIES: Giving Voice to the Voiceless by Dr Ann Wand

In this final episode of our ‘Controversies and Contraband’ series, we sit down with yoga specialist, Dr Patrick McCartney to discuss the somewhat surprising historical origins of yoga and mallakhamb (the wrester’s pole). What originally started as a general interest in postural yoga due to a sustained growth spurt during his teens, by university he became somewhat of a ‘yoga fundamentalist’ and eventually moved to India. After a decade of teaching yoga and meditation around the world Dr McCartney’s research began to shift towards questioning the way yoga is branded and sold to the global consumer. Advertised as a form of ‘social justice’ through critical race theory, McCartney explores how yoga has been able to transcend boundaries and caste systems, while at the same time overlook its potential origins linking it to nomadic street performers and prostitution.