protest

Third World Quarterly and a False Case for Colonialism

Last week, Third World Quarterly, a development studies journal, published an article by Bruce Gilley titled ‘The case for Colonialism.' In his piece, Gilley not only claimed that Colonialism was good, but he went on to argue that we need a new program for colonialism. The publication of this article was followed by the protests against it by numerous scholars and members of the editorial board of the Third World Quarterly journal. A change.org petition asking for the retraction of the artic[...]

Occupy Durgapur

Durgapur was once known as the Ruhr of Bengal – the heart of its industrial landscape, a centerpiece of the Durgapur-Burnpur-Chittranjan belt of capitalist industry. Proximity to the coal files of Raniganj drove its industrial development, with the construction of the Steel Authority of India’s plant there in 1959 as its centerpiece. Industry anchored West Bengal’s third largest city. If Durgapur was the Ruhr of Bengal from the standpoint of the capitalist class, it remains the Petrogra[...]