Popular engagements

On food politics

Based on Natrajan, Balmurli and Jacob, Suraj. “Provincializing Vegetarianism: Putting Indian Food Habits in Their Place.” (2018) Economic and Political Weekly (Special Article) vol. LIII no. 9:54-64. March.

on caste (and race)

 

Interview with Balmurli natrajan

The culturalization of caste

An interview with Raghav Kaushik. The interview has two goals. The first is to bring back a sense of caste as a historical material rather than a timeless transhistorical entity, to convey a sense of caste not as a static but as a dynamic system, in flux, being challenged and changing with circumstances, often material circumstances. Given the complex and long history of caste, the interview will briefly outline the course of the caste system from a system of varnas to a system of jatis. Unlike the varna system which bore some similarity to other oppressive systems around the world, the jati system with its 4000 plus caste groups is peculiar to India. Our intention here is to provide a way for anticaste activists to sharpen our tools to dissect and challenge a nimble and protean form of injustice.

on diversity and inclusion

Multiple engagements hosted by Microsoft Inc., as part of their Diversity and Inclusion Journey, 2020 – 2021 (all videos available here)

  • Historical View of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) – 3.06 mins
  • Panel discussion on D&I with Dr. Tanya Hernández, Professor of Law at Fordham University. Prof. Kenji Yoshino, Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU, and Dr. Balmurli Natrajan (William Paterson University of New Jersey)
  • Race and Ethnicity – the Global conversation, a panel discussion with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and Dr. Adrienne J. Keene, and Dr. Balmurli Natrajan