Faculty Insights Podcast: India’s Democracy & Media’s Role Amid Backsliding

Puja Thapa and Prof. Rajagopal explore the current state of India’s democracy, focusing on the role of the ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in wielding and weaponizing the media. How does the BJP manipulate narratives to suit their objectives? What implications does this have for democracy? These crucial questions are thoroughly examined and discussed.

Welcome to Faculty Insights Podcast! In this episode, we delve into the immense power of information and its transformative effects on society. As the saying goes, those who control information hold the reins of the world, and throughout history, we have witnessed the profound consequences of this truth.

In the 1400s, the printing press emerged as a game-changer, reshaping humanity by sparking religious wars, revolutions, and the democratization of knowledge. It dismantled the centralized power of the Church, forever altering the course of history. Fast forward to the present day, and the media has become the modern-day printing press, influencing our perceptions and molding the landscape of the 21st century.

Join Puja Thapa from the Journal of Political Inquiry (JPI) as she engages in an enlightening conversation with Arvind Rajagopal, Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU Steinhardt. Prof. Rajagopal is an acclaimed author whose works, including Politics After Television: Hindu Nationalism and the Reshaping of the Public in India and The Indian Public Sphere: Structure and Transformation, have garnered prestigious awards and recognition.

Arvind Rajagopal is a Professor of Media Studies at New York University and is an affiliated faculty in the Department of Sociology and Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU. In 2010-11, he was a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. His books include Politics After Television: Hindu Nationalism and the Reshaping of the Public in India (Cambridge, 2001), which won the Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Prize from the Association of Asian Studies and the Daniel Griffiths Prize at NYU, both in 2003, and *The Indian Public Sphere: Structure and Transformation* (Oxford, 2009). In addition to his scholarly writing, he has also published in forums such as the SSRC’s Immanent Frame and opendemocracy.net, and in newspapers and periodicals.

Together, Puja Thapa and Prof. Rajagopal explore the current state of India’s democracy, focusing on the role of the ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in wielding and weaponizing the media. How does the BJP manipulate narratives to suit their objectives? What implications does this have for democracy? These crucial questions are thoroughly examined and discussed.

Prepare to be informed and engaged as we embark on a journey to uncover the intricate dynamics between media, politics, and democracy in India. Join us and discover the far-reaching impact of information in shaping the future of India.

This podcast episode is produced and edited by Roya Lotfi.

Puja Thapa

Puja Thapa is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief of JPI Online Magazine while pursuing a second-year MA degree in International Relations at NYU. Her educational journey began at Keene State College, NH, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with minors in Women and Gender Studies and Studio Arts. Alongside her studies, Puja is engaged with Adhikaar, a New York-based nonprofit, where she serves as the Youth Organizer Fellow. Before this, she gained valuable experience as the Administrative Executive Editor for two years at The Equinox, a national award-winning student newspaper at KSC. Academically, her interests lie in exploring Gender and Race in International Relations. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys indulging in hobbies like painting, cooking, and traveling to new places.