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Centre for Political Economy and Philosophy (CPEP )

Introduction Mission Objectives Research Activity Projects and Publications JGU Cross-linkages Team Events Contact Us
Introduction

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” – Arundhati Roy

The idea of the Centre for Political Economy and Philosophy (CPEP) was conceived while teaching two courses at the Jindal School of International Affairs: “Political Philosophy” and “Critical Political Economy.” It is founded on the premise that the toolkits of these disciplines allow to understand and provide solutions to the most pressing global issues: economic disruption, uneven development, inequality, populist nationalism, COVID-19, geopolitical uncertainty, and democratic backsliding, to name a few. Critical political economy problematizes the relations of power, domination and inequality in the “natural” social order, while political philosophy offers intellectual tools to mount resistance against the existing scripts.

Mission

The Centre’s mission is two-fold: analyze the most pertinent topics of international politics – such as capitalism, development, or identity politics – from a political economic perspective, while pay attention to the deeper political theoretical debates which underlie these political phenomena. For example, the relationship between markets and social stability in the context of the current global socio-economic order is both a political economic and a political philosophic topic. Political analysis and political philosophy are thus the two main vantage points that the Centre adopts. In this regard, it follows a rich tradition of critical and normative theorizing rather than “problem-solving” one.

In sum, CPEP’s overarching theme is the focus on domination, resistance and emancipation. At the same time, the Centre takes seriously the idea that real-world problems cannot be separated from normative concerns. Finally, it seeks to follow the call to “not only interpret the world, but also change it.”

Objectives
  1. Analyze pressing global issues through the lenses of political economy and political theory.
  2. Imagine, discuss, and advance alternatives to the current socio-economic order driven by the imperatives of economic growth and profit-making.
  3. Promote activism toward a world embedded in the ideas of public good, solidarity, reciprocity, conviviality, and care.
Research Activity

Research Approaches

  • Critical Theory
  • Critical political economy
  • Critical International Relations
  • The Frankfurt School
  • Historical materialism
  • Neo-Marxist approaches
  • Antonio Gramsci and neo-Gramscian approaches
  • Karl Polanyi and neo-Polanyian approaches
  • Foucaldian approaches
  • Critical feminist approaches
  • Political theory
  • Amartya Sen's capabilities approach
  • Non-Western political theory
  • Quantum social theory

Research Areas

  • Capitalism
  • Political economy of development
  • Critical development
  • Post-pandemic development
  • Labour studies
  • Populist nationalism
  • Identity politics
  • Emancipatory alternatives to capitalism
  • Resistance studies
  • Prefigurative politics
  • Quantum approaches to political economy
  • Post-oriental and non-imperial conceptions of ethics
  • Ethics of care
  • Counter-hegemonic visions and practices
  • Non-Western ontologies and indigenous knowledge
  • Comparative ethics
  • Alternatives to liberalism
  • Radical democracy


Activities

  • Guest lectures
  • Research seminars and workshops
  • Conferences
  • Publications
  • Films screenings
  • Student-led community initiatives
  • Internal and external fund-raising
  • Collaboration and networking
Projects and Publications
  • The Rise of the Capital-State and Neo-Nationalism: A New Polanyian Moment
  • M.K. Gandhi on Violence and Nonviolence: Ahimsa as a Praxis
  • A critique of the idea of 'Identification for Development' through case studies of applications of India's biometric identification programme
  • Labour process and labour regime analysis of India's Information Technology industry.
JGU Cross-linkages
  • Centre for the Global South (JSIA)
  • Centre for the Study of Global International Relations (JSIA)
  • Centre for Social and Political Research (JSLH)
  • Centre for New Economic Studies (JSLH)
  • Centre for Justice, Law and Society (JGLS)
  • Centre for Complexity Economics, Applied Spirituality and Public Policy (JSGP)
Team
  • Oleksandr Svitych
  • Rajeev Kadambi
  • Rohith Jyothish
  • Damni Kain
  • Ramanan Mallika
  • Anwesh Satapathy
  • Asvika Prakash
  • Anish Paranjape
  • Noor Nisar Tramboo
Events
Contact Us

Jindal Centre for Political Economy and Philosophy (CPEP)

Jindal School of International Affairs

O.P. Jindal Global University

Haryana-131001 (NCR of Delhi)

E-mail: cpep@jgu.edu.in

Mob.: +91 74196 13668