As 2018 comes to a close, The Wire‘s staff shares its favourite articles and videos from the year. Read Part Two here and Part Three here.
1. Kabir Agarwal, agriculture and political economy
Watch | Representation of LGBTQ+ Culture in Urdu Literature
My pick is Yasmeen Rashidi’s fantastic video story on the representation of LGBTQ+ culture in Urdu literature. It lends a new perspective to the discourse around Section 377, and sheds light on the existence of homosexual relationships in a society considered ultra-conservative. It also told us that these relationships have been vividly described in Urdu literature. The icing on the cake is Yasmeen’s masterful narration.
2. Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, Deputy Editor and Northeast
Rethinking the Idea of a Nation Requires New Sensibilities, Not Bookish Knowledge
This story by Avijit Pathak springs out of a consciousness I’ve grown up with. Every day at school, I sang two anthems – the national anthem and the anthem of my home state, Assam, ‘O Mur Apunar Dex’ – with equal gusto.
The daily ritual instilled in me the awareness that both your state and your nation are a part of your identity. You don’t have to discard one identity to embrace the other. This essay is a timely reminder of the diversity that India embraces and creates space for.
3. M.K. Venu, Founding Editor
Over the Past Seven Years, Politically-Connected Sectors Have Tanked at Stock Market
This piece by Noor Mohammad – a wonderful colleague whom we lost last month – reflects the dark underbelly of India’s political economy, where crony capitalists are gaming the system, cornering natural resources and massive bank loans to run their projects. But the over-confidence and excesses of these firms come back to bite them and the stock market punishes them for it. Today they are the biggest wealth destroyers in the stock markets. They have also left a massive hole, of unpaid dues, in the banking system. No wonder a dozen business groups punished by the stock markets owe nearly Rs 7 lakh crore of overdues to banks.
4. Devirupa Mitra, Deputy Editor and foreign affairs
China-US Contention Has Opened Up Space for Other Powers, Including India and Asia’s Three Futures and the Place of India and China in It
I want to share a two-part essay by India’s former national security advisor, Shivshankar Menon, which brilliantly posits the consequences and opportunities of China’s rise for India and the rest of the world.
While international relations in the Trump era are always in flux, China and its rising influence will be a constant, critical factor. To brace for 2019, if there is one – okay, two? – reads that provide a masterful survey of not only global uncertainty, but also an understanding of Beijing’s response to the “shifting sands”, it is these.
5. Vasudevan Mukunth, Science Editor
Was the Death of the Last Male Northern White Rhino the End of a Hoax?
The death of the world’s last male northern white rhino, on March 19, evoked a lot of grief around the world. It was so easy to get caught up in this poignant moment, but Janaki Lenin went behind the curtains to speak to the rhino’s caretakers, scientists familiar with his genetic history and ecologists working in the region.
I liked the resulting article for two reasons. First, it was a remarkable story with a lot happening beneath the surface that wasn’t just easy to miss but which you’re often encouraged to. Second, Janaki demonstrated the full context in which stories of wildlife conservation often reside. For me personally, it was also a great example of how cultural diversity among scientists determines what knowledge we do or don’t have.
6. Pawanjot Kaur, Multimedia Producer
Watch | Encounter – Manipur’s Killer Cop Speaks
I love this video by Vikram Singh and Raghu Karnad, and here’s why: It first lets you understand the killer cop from close quarters and then goes on to describe the larger issue of extra-judicial encounters. The viewer is given the chance to watch both sides of the story. And of course, the production is great.
7. Amrit B.L.S., News Producer
Denying Women Entry to the Sabarimala Temple Amounts to Untouchability
This article stood out because Kalpana Kannabiran makes an excellent legal argument – but without any of the jargon. The analysis applies not just to Sabarimala, but to practices in other religious spaces too.
8.
Shibangi Sina Roy, Social Media Sub-Editor
Modi Govt Has Not Released a Single Rupee for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers
Dheeraj Mishra’s report, based on an RTI application, does a great job of bringing to light the government’s apathy towards the lives of manual scavengers. Caste-based manual scavenging is still claiming dozens of lives every year, and we need to know how much attention the government is paying.