Fighting the drug menace By Randeep Wadehra

Narcotics: crime, terrorism and control by SP Kar
KW Publishers, N. Delhi. Pages: viii+296l price: Rs. 780’-

Although drug abuse has a hoary past it has become extremely convoluted, widespread and menacing today. Broadly the drugs-of-abuse can be divided into two categories, viz., narcotic and psychotropic. While the former are derived from natural substances like opium the latter are synthetic concoctions. Both types are consumed by people from all walks of life and some of these, called designer drugs, are popular among fashionable circles, especially sports stars, show-biz celebrities and rave party goers. Various studies have shown how drug abuse ruins individual lives, destroys families and debilitates societies. In fact countries have been known to ‘push’ drugs across international borders to destroy the youth of the countries considered hostile – the effect of such a phenomenon can be seen in Punjab, the northeastern states and metros like Mumbai and Delhi. Drug-trafficking goes hand in hand with gun running, thus giving birth to the menace of narco-terrorism which has assumed geo-political dimensions. Drug abuse in sports is well known. Whatever sport or its level of competition be illicit use of performance-enhancing drugs by sportspersons has become worrisome enough for IOC and other international sports bodies to initiate concerted campaigns against it.
The author, a retired IPS officer, has relied on personal observations as well as empirical data to come up with this thought provoking tome, which gives us an idea of the extent of drug menace in our country and what is being done to stem the rot.
THE TRIBUNE

A Tribute to Swami Rama By Randeep Wadehra

A multi-splendoured sage by KS Duggal

Swami Rama Gurmat Mission, Kangra. Pages: 198. Price: Rs. 265/-
During the closing years of last millennium the late Swami Rama had hit the media headlines when he helped set up a hospital and medical college in Uttarakhand. Already noted for his Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in the USA he had little difficulty in having friends among the political and intellectual elite of India. Duggal is obviously one of them. He has painted a positive picture of the Swami and his contribution to India’s healthcare scenario. He has also mentioned Swami Rama’s yogic accomplishments and his love for Sikhism. However, in the chapter on his visit to MS Gill’s house the Swami brags about having played the Davis Cup up to the semi-finals stage, but conveniently forgets to mention the country he had represented and the year and venue of the feat. Similarly, in his encounter with Arun Shourie it is the latter that emerges taller as man of principles, and the Swami appears too eager to please him. Be that as it may, this book would have takers among Swami Rama’s fans.
THE TRIBUNE

A look at the nuclear deal By Randeep Wadehra

Indo-US Nuclear Deal by Er. PG Sharma
Pages: 109. Price: Rs. 100’-

The Indo-US nuclear deal is now more or less a part of history unless the Obama administration decides to have a relook at it. The media in India, the United States and other parts of the world has thoroughly scrutinized various aspects of the deal and has generally come to the conclusion that it is good for the energy-starved India and hence for the world economy. There are geo-strategic issues too, but these have remained on the backburner as India has avowedly pursued this deal for reasons other than military. Sharma, a retired engineer, has dealt with various aspects of the deal in small and readable chapters. You may not agree with everything he says. However, where is the need for all those shlokas and jingoistic verbiage in what is purportedly an objective analysis?
THE TRIBUNE

IR studies in South Asia: In search of an alternative paradigm By Randeep Wadehra

International Relations in South Asia edited by Navnita Chadha Behera
Sage. Pages: vii+342. Price: not mentioned

Often International Relations, as academic discipline, gets confused with Area Studies. The latter constitutes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of a geographical, political or cultural region or group. The disciplines involved could be one or more from: political science, history, geography, sociology, cultural studies, literature and languages etc. In some countries, especially the USA, diasporas and emigration from areas studied too form part of the Area Studies curriculum. Occasionally, gender and ethnic studies too are included although these are not part of Area Studies per se. On the other hand, International Studies involve building of conceptual models – based on different theories – in order to examine international relations. Each theory is reductive and essentialist to varying degrees, each relying on different sets of assumptions. The number and character of such assumptions determine the worth of a particular IR theory. For example, an essentialist theory like Realism is useful in enumerating/discovering causes for a historical action (for instance, why did the Bay of Pigs invasion fail), but is of no/limited use in finding explanation(s) for a systemic change (like the end of Cold War) or predicting future events. In fact there are numerous IR theories that have been developed in the West; these can be divided into two main schools of thought, viz., Positivist/Rationalist that focuses on state-level analysis and post-positivist/reflectivist that dwells upon enlarged ideas of security, ranging from class to gender to post-colonial security. In fact the IR theory is a dynamic mix of variegated ideas and ideologies, viz., Marxism, Institutionalism and Constructivism etc. Presently, while such positivist theories as Liberalism, Constructivism and Realism are most popular the post-positivist theories have been gaining ground in academia outside the USA.
Behera points out that International Relations is a relatively new discipline in South Asia although the Dhaka University had offered Masters program as early as in 1947-48; she avers that, presently, the Bangladesh government’s attitude towards the expansion of IR teaching is ‘apathetic while the private or non-governmental sectors are unconcerned about the development of the discipline…” In India, she points out, the initial years saw Nehru dominating the foreign affairs to such an extent that, unlike economic affairs, the need to develop a vibrant intellectual-academic base in universities was not really felt for a long time. Even today, she points out, “an iron curtain divides the foreign policy bureaucracy and academia…” not just in India but every country in South Asia. Mostly IR studies have been relegated to the status of an additional paper in Humanities curricula in different South Asian universities. She goes on to detail the none-too-healthy academic and publishing scenario in the region. The scenario becomes all the more dismal when one looks at the western thought and analytical models dominating the discourse with even some original regional concepts (Nehru’s Panchsheel for instance) hardly finding a mention in the mainstream IR theory.
In this collection one senses a strong desire among the scholars, hailing from various South Asian countries, to fashion alternative thought processes, if not theories/analytical models/paradigms, which would be more useful in understanding the contemporary scene in the region. Here the IR discourse takes into account both intra-state and inter-state conflict situations and security issues. The competing aspirations of different ethnic groups lead to violence that transcends international boundaries – Tamil Elam and Kashmir are cited prominently in this volume although other ethnic-religious spillovers like the Pakhtoon/Baluch separatist movements, the Gorkhaland agitation, the Khalistani terrorism and the non-ethnic/ideological Naxalite/ultra-leftist violence too are formidable challenges to the nation states in South Asia. Another interesting paper questions the relevance of Westphalian states to the extant scenario. Is the European Union’s move towards post-Westphalian supra-national structure a template for resolving some of the current dilemmas facing the South Asian region? Perhaps not. True, we have a rather hazy outline of one in the form of SAARC, but the ethno-religious-cultural complexities in the region (further complicated by caste-based stratifications) cannot be managed by the EU model that is more suitable to the relatively uncomplicated European pluralism.
You will find this volume both thought-provoking and enlightening.
THE TRIBUNE

Revisiting history By Randeep Wadehra

Rethinking 1857 and the Punjab edited by Dr. Navtej Singh

Punjabi University, Patiala. Pages: xxiv+267. Price: Rs. 280/-.
Revisiting historical events is part of the academic discourse so essential for the nation-building process – provided such explications stick to historiography’s basic tenets, viz., objectivity and truth. Although, in the name of national interest, political expediencies have caused rewriting of histories the world over any digression from the basic principles has done more harm than good. Nonetheless, debates on accepted history are essential in order to validate or redefine significant events.
When, in 1957, the so called Sepoy Mutiny was officially anointed as India’s First War of Independence the powers that be failed to anticipate the division of the nascent polity into patriotic and ant-national slots. Sikhs, nay Punjabis, who were the last to fall to the inexorably expanding British power, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, are justifiably incensed at finding themselves in the unpatriotic slot just because they were either on the wrong side or neutral in 1857 when pan-Indianism was not in vogue. The various essays in this volume interrogate this aspect. Nonetheless, certain questions need to be answered, viz., when did the India-is-one-nation sentiment take birth? Need we always look at yesterday through today’s prism? There cannot be a simple explanation, but there is certainly a need for objectivity based consensus among historians.
THE TRIBUNE

Anatomy of violence By Randeep Wadehra

Violence: a concern for peaceful co-existence edited by DP Singh and Manjit Singh
Punjabi University, Patiala. Pages: xix+283. Price: Rs. 300/-.

Violence is ubiquitous. It could be in the form of protest, retaliation, injustice or repression; as an instrument for the furtherance of a nation’s hegemony or protection of its sovereignty; and for assertion of state control or meeting insurgency related challenges. Domestic violence, road rage and myriad other situations too form different dimensions of this phenomenon.
One essay in this volume points out the symbiotic relationship between development and violence, and goes on to dwell upon ethnic/communal conflicts and wars between nations even as it examines the existence of violence in interpersonal relationships. Other essays in this volume investigate terrorism related violence, cyber crimes, religious fundamentalism, and relevance of Buddha’s teachings. Some contributors to this volume look into crimes against women and children and domestic violence while one writer explores the relationship between destructive/cruel actions of adults and their traumatic experiences during childhood.
THE TRIBUNE

Fighting polio By Randeep Wadehra

The vital drop: communication for polio eradication in India by Gitanjali Chaturvedi
Sage. Pages: xviii+319. Price: Rs. 750/-

India’s demographic, economic and geographic complexities pose daunting challenges to mass disease eradication campaigns – as evidenced by the drive against polio which is arguably the biggest of its kind in the world. Various agencies and institutions with variegated competencies have been involved in order to reach out to India’s “large, diverse, segregated and mobile populations” not to mention the marginalized ones. All this requires deployment of well thought out and innovative means of communication and sophisticated surveillance systems. The author points out, “Democracy accords citizens the luxury of choice, which they often exercise by saying no.” She further states that doubts about actual intention behind eradication arise when people’s minds are unable to rationalize the logic behind multiple rounds of administering polio drops. Thus, challenges posed to effective communication have been: (1) Creating awareness that polio is preventable by regular administration of drops to children below five years of age; (2) To convince families that polio drops are essential for preventing permanent disability and, therefore, they must ensure that their children are adequately protected; and (3) To ensure continued compliance by families, round after round.
This book tells us how these challenges have been met.
THE TRIBUNE