This article by Utkarsh Mishra examines the human cost of India’s vast informal economy, which employs nearly 90% of the workforce. It traces the realities faced by brick kiln workers, construction labourers, and gig workers, highlighting debt bondage, child labour, unsafe conditions, and the absence of social protection. Drawing on research and workers’ testimonies, the article argues that exploitation is embedded in the organisation of work rather than being an accidental by-product of growth. It also highlights ongoing struggles by workers and the need for greater accountability and labour protections.
India’s rapid expansion of AI and data centres is raising concerns about environmental justice, resource use, and the impact on vulnerable communities. In this article, Dr Gopabandhu Dash examines the growing ecological footprint of data infrastructure, including its demands on water, electricity, land, and its contribution to carbon emissions. Drawing on studies, public interventions, and international experiences, the article argues that the costs of digital expansion are often borne by marginalized populations. It calls for greater public scrutiny, stronger environmental safeguards, and a more equitable approach to technological development.
In “The Machine and the Schoolhouse,” Vijay Prashad examines the reported use of AI-enabled military systems in the US war on Iran through the lens of the February 2026 strike on a school in Minab that killed 120 children. He explores the growing relationship between Silicon Valley and the national security state, the limits of corporate oversight, and the ways AI systems shape military decision-making. The article argues that technological power is advancing faster than public accountability, making responsibility for violence increasingly difficult to trace.
Denmark’s new agricultural reforms are prompting a broader debate about the future of farming in Europe. In this essay, Gunnar Rundgren examines efforts to curb industrial pig production, strengthen environmental protections and support smaller-scale farming. He argues that decades of consolidation and market-driven agriculture have weakened rural communities, eroded public support for farming and disconnected food production from local needs. While welcoming recent reforms, Rundgren calls for a deeper transformation that restores farms as diverse ecosystems and redefines farmers as stewards of land, animals and food security.
Julian Barnes and the Princess of Asturias Award Or Literature in the Service of the Empire On the 10th of this month, the Princess of Asturias Foundation announced that its 2026 Literature Prize had been awarded to the British writer Julian Barnes. As stated on its website, the “Princess of Asturias Foundation is a private, non-profit organization whose aims are to contribute to the appreciation and promotion of all scientific, cultural and humanistic values that constitute universal heritage, as well as to strengthen the existing ties between the Principality of Asturias and the title traditionally held by the heirs […]
n May 21, activists with the Philadelphia chapter of the youth-led environmental justice group Sunrise Movement began a protracted hunger strike, vowing to starve themselves until Mayor Cherelle Parker committed to spending an extraordinary $1.19 billion municipal budget surplus on community programs. They were demanding investments in renewable energy alongside demands not traditionally associated with the environmental justice movement, including affordable housing, food justice, and increased funding for rec centers and public libraries.
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Produce less. Distribute it fairly. Create a greener world for all.
