Articles and Research Papers

  Written By: Falakdipti ABSTRACT Everyone wants to retreat from society and the world sometimes. However, some people find themselves isolated in their room for months, sometimes even years, only ever slipping out once in a blue moon. This phenomenon is known as Hikikomori, or Acute Social Withdrawal. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused most of the world to go into lockdown, the term found itself in the spotlight again. This research aims to define Hikikomori and its relation to the pandemic. Keywords: isolation, hikikomori, social, pandemic, withdrawal   INTRODUCTION Japanese is a language that has multifarious beautiful words. ‘ Wabi Sabi ’ means incomplete or imperfect beauty. ‘ Komorebi’ refers to the light that filters through trees and falls on the forest floor. There is another word however, that was coined by renowned psychologist Tamaki Saito in the year 1998 to describe the rising number of cases of social isolation amongst the youth in Japan, known as ‘ Hikikomori ’....

Written By: Falakdipti Abstract Secularism is a term that can be interpreted in multifarious ways by various people. Although it is a modern concept, its roots lie in the philosophies of ancient civilisations. The idea of secularism was introduced in India during the British Raj as a tool to suppress the quest for independence by making the predominately Hindu Indian National Congress prioritise and address concerns of the minorities (Muslims), which then gradually led to India adapting into a type of secularism different from most of the countries. Moreover, a few Indian political leaders acted as catalysts to further establish the idea into the constitution and our governing system. The word has become a means to normalise and justify Hinduphobia, which goes against what secularism strives for. The country every day faces instances where the authorities of the nation execute minority favouritism under the garb of secularism. This paper aims to address the characteristics of neo-secul...

Written By: Falakdipti   Abstract Terrorism has existed since the old times, back when it was classified as an act against the monarch. Now, in the modern age, it is known as the use of violence to propagate religious and/or political ideologies. Usually, terrorism is associated with militant groups acting against a State, but governments also have the ability to engage in terrorism to use it for political and economic gain. The present paper aims to define terrorism and how it is used by States to establish dominance in the political world and its impact.   Keywords: state, government, militant, sponsor, terrorism   Introduction Terrorism is an act which involves unauthorised and illegal utilisation of deliberate violence in order to achieve political goals. [1] The term ‘terrorism’ originated in the 18 th century, during the French revolution. [2] According to the description by Nobel laureate Thomas Schelling, terrorism is the power to hurt in its purest...