Misdirection, the magician’s play of hands, is the art of diverting attention to conceal the true action. In magic, it’s what makes the impossible seem real. In the realm of politics, misdirection operates with equal finesse, reshaping religion into a tool for power while cloaking its transformation. Across the globe, from Hindutva in India to politicized Christianity in America,...
Pope Francis and Gaza: A Legacy of Compassion and Geopolitical Courage
When Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, the world mourned not only a spiritual leader but a geopolitical figure whose compassion for those in pain redefined the papacy. Among his most remarkable legacies was his unwavering concern for the people of Gaza, particularly its tiny Christian community, during the devastating war that...
Truth in a Post-Truth World
In a world often described as “post-truth,” where narratives, power, and perception seem to shape reality more than facts, the concept of truth feels lost , if not nearly dead . As Michel Foucault observed, “regimes of truth” flow from structures of power, shaping what societies accept as valid or real. Yet, the Christian narrative of Easter—centered on the...
The Power of Parrhesia and Goa
The concept of parrhesia, rooted in both Christian theology and philosophical discourse, offers a compelling lens through which we B can explore courage, truth-telling, and transformative action. By examining the paresia of St. Peter after Jesus’ resurrection, Michel Foucault’s philosophical interpretation of parrhesia, and the unique socio-cultural context of Goa, we can envision a “Goan Paresia”—a bold, truth-driven movement...
The Autonomous Voices of Canvas
The paintings in our exhibition, “Goycho Saib,” are more than mere representations. They are vibrant objects, pulsating with their own being, transcending their role as human creations or historical tributes. Inspired by object-oriented ontology (OOO), we recognize these works as autonomous entities that speak, withdraw, and resonate in a network of relations with St. Francis Xavier, the land of...
Art as Power: Harnessing Creative Potential
In the intricate tapestry of human civilization, art has long been celebrated as a medium of beauty, expression, and transcendence. However, philosophers like Boris Groys challenge conventional views of art as a passive or decorative object, instead positioning it as an active force that shapes ideologies, manipulates perceptions, and negotiates the tension between autonomy and control. Groys’ seminal collection...
Art as Anachronistic: Embracing Untimeliness
Giorgio Agamben’s philosophical ideas offer a unique perspective on our relationship with time. His concept of “untimeliness” challenges conventional notions of progress, history, and contemporaneity. For Agamben, untimeliness is not a rejection of the present but a radical way of engaging with it. In the context of our art exhibition, Agamben’s idea of untimeliness helps us understand how time...
Healing the Republic of Hurt Sentiments
We have the challenge to take hurt seriously. While we resist the republic of hurt, we cannot simply dismiss the fact of hurt. We, therefore, ask: Who is hurt? Who can hurt? What is the condition of getting hurt ? Who can get hurt? What hurts? What is the response to hurt? Hurt affects different people differently. In the...
Deimperailizing Decoloniality
The concept of decoloniality has gained great currency these days. It evokes response that seeks to undo the burdens and the ills of colonization which are persisting in our times. But of late there is a sense of unease with the term decoloniality and thinkers are looking beyond it. In India, decoloniality appears to be appropriated by the right...
Freedom and Free Thinking
Freedom and Free thinking seem to have come under attack in Goa these days. This condition has been afflicting Goa for quite some time now. It seemed to have come in the open with cases being levelled on a renowned rationalist and free thinker from Goa. The levelling of FIR against acclaimed man of letters Datta Damodar Naik seems...
