Category: Brief Thoughts

Why act?

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—       Because I was not a socialist.Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—     Because I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—     Because I … Continue reading Why act? →

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And I’m Still Well Off – Thoughts on India’s Elections

For those who don't know: The world's biggest (not greatest) democracy just re-elected its previous Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a second term. In the words of the satire magazine The Onion: "India Continues Surge Towards Status As First World Nation By Reelecting Racist, Right-Wing Authoritarian". Not just that, but Modi's BJP won more votes … Continue reading And I’m Still Well Off – Thoughts on India’s Elections →

So what’s India like? 10 things I love about India

This article was originally published in 2017 on my blog "Alena in India". In it, I reflect on what makes India lovable. I realize now that I misinterpreted many cultural gestures. For instance, I do not agree with my claim made about political correctness anymore. Nonetheless, I wanted to share this again. "One of the … Continue reading So what’s India like? 10 things I love about India →

Can insisting on human rights mess up the delivery of health care in war zones?

Short answer: Yes, it can. It may be no surprise to those who have been following my blog to read yet another article which is critical of human rights narratives and human rights discourse. However, I want to walk you through why exactly using a human rights language may lead to serious issues in regards … Continue reading Can insisting on human rights mess up the delivery of health care in war zones? →

I got fined – and then wrote an assignment about it

This article was originally written as a small assignment for my "Research Design" class in April 2019. It might be interesting to read this, because the task was to come up with a very mundane example of law and then think about how we could do academic research about it. When boarding public transport, an … Continue reading I got fined – and then wrote an assignment about it →

What job can a white person do in the development sector? – Personal thoughts on my own career prospects

With advancement in my studies, I am being asked more and more frequently what I want "to be" in the future. Earlier, before I started studying, that question would have been easy to answer - I wanted to become a field worker, create policies to improve people's lives, do community development, I wanted to do … Continue reading What job can a white person do in the development sector? – Personal thoughts on my own career prospects →

Uncomfortable Thoughts on Political and Civil Rights

[The] more I write and research, the more I feel that I am not helping the situation at all by doing so. Instead of properly lobbying, I am pouring oil into the flame of societal divisions. [...] It is very, very easy to learn how to call out for people’s rights. It is much more difficult to find a path to actually help people. And I am utterly confused about how to do the latter.

What bothers me about Slumdog Millionaire

This article was first published on February 16, 2017 on my blog about my time in New Delhi.  The opening scene shows Jamal Malik. He is hanging from the ceiling, drool dripping from his mouth, and he is chained.The so-called police officer is electroshocking him to unconsciousness - apparently Jamal cheated in the famous show … Continue reading What bothers me about Slumdog Millionaire →