The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) understands ‘Academic Freedom' as being "...the essential characteristic of an institution of higher education. It encompasses the right of faculty to full freedom in research and in the publication of results, freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, and the right of faculty to be free from institutional censorship or discipline when they speak or write as citizens." The question of academic freedom in Turkey is often a contentious issue. Protests on November 6^th and 7^th in Ankara by University students against the country's High Education Board (YÖK) on its 28^th anniversary clearly displayed a significant level of discontent against an often-heavy handed involvement of the Turkish government in matters of higher education.

A week or so back I read a fascinating essay by Andrew Marshall in the Time Magazine issue for the week of November 9^th, 2009 (Cover: “Rare Tuna”). Titled “Identity Crisis: What does it mean to be authentically Swiss?”, it delves into the question of identity in a country that is known for its neutrality and self-proclaimed sense of “exceptionalism”  Switzerland’s affinity for purity is exemplified in the slogan of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry: “Fake watches are for fake people. Be authentic. Buy real.” But, the author identifies a clear discrepancy.

The Hooghly river is often dubbed as West Bengal’s lifeline. Flowing through the state, it adorns Kolkata’s skyline. But across the river also lies a reality that is often ignored, if not forgotten, by most of this Indian metropolitan’s urban dwellers; Howrah. Kolkata’s twin-city, it is a cesspool of all the imaginable ills of urbanization. However, working in this environment, Calcutta Kids, a Howrah-based NGO, allows for a glimmer of hope, as it strives to improve maternal and infant health in one of the city’s many slums.

 The options for graduating high school students from India are plenty. Besides the opportunities within India, thousands, if not millions, of us have embarked on academic careers in countries like the United States, Canada, UK, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Forbes Magazine estimated that in 2006 there were 123,000 Indian students studying abroad, which included 76,000 in the United States alone. As of this year there are approximately 97,000 Indian students in Australia. I remember embarking on my first trip abroad as a student. The world beyond seemed utterly enthralling, replete with opportunities and possibilities. The West seemed like a portal to a life that we had dreamed of. But this ideal vision of the world outside India seldom featured racism as an integral aspect of it. 

Relative calm may have returned to Tehran but the shock effect of the post-election events in the country has ensured that the world keeps a watchful eye on Iran. The riots have exposed the cracks present within every facet of the Islamic republic that threatens the very essence of mass legitimacy that this form of political and social organization had received during the Revolution in 1979.

I remember it being the run-up to the 2008 U.S. Presidential elections. As the campaign saw nominees deal with a plethora of issues of national and global concern, one of the thorniest issues in election arsenal was that of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights. The Human Rights Campaign (a reputed US civil rights organization focusing on LGBT equality) created a ‘report card’