Re: a request.

["Sam Garg" <gargsam@hotmail.com>]

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I think Mr Bodupalli's caution was well justified.  By contrast,
Mr. Commuri is incorrect when he equates this note of caution with
censorship.

While it is true that "researchers often study something starting with
an
educated guess, or even a hunch", it is just as true that in the
social sciences facts and figures can be interpreted to 'prove' this
original guess or hunch much more easily than in the 'harder' sciences.
A
second researcher, considering exactly the same data, could find support
for
a different starting guess/ hunch.

Hence, it is much more incumbent on the social scientist to be
circumspect
with their intial hypotheses, guesses and hunches.  This is not
censorship
but makes rational sense.


Sanjay Garg




>From: Chandrasekhar Commuri <ccommuri@usc.edu>
>Reply-To: debate@indiapolicy.org
>To: debate@indiapolicy.org
>Subject: Re: a request.
>Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 06:57:25 -0800 (PST)
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Please help make the Manifesto better, or accept it, and propagate it!
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Mr Boddupalli's argument seems to suggest that students of the
>social studies should censor themselves since they may appear
>"pseudo-intellectual" or because their works may fuel an
>'eye-for-an-eye' reaction in society (he perhaps gives social
>scientific work more power than it deserves).
>
>Researchers often study something starting with an educated
>guess, or even a hunch. In an ideal world we will arrive at
>conclusions after studying something "objectively". However,
>it doesn't always happen this way, even in the so-called
>hard sciences like physics.
>
>It is not the work of academics that we need to fear but
>the consequences of censorship, however well intended.
>
>
>Chandrasekhar Commuri
>School of Policy, Planning, & Development
>University of Southern California
>
>
>
>On Tue, 14 Nov 2000, prasad boddupalli wrote:
>
> >
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> > Please help make the Manifesto better, or accept it, and propagate
it!
> >
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> > Ms Mariwala,
> >       With due respect to your feelings and convictions, I would
like
> > to say a few things.
> >       One writes articles for a number of reasons; for a living, for

> > spreading their ideas, for an essay-writing competition or in an
effort
>to
> > appear as an intellectual.
> >       To me, your attempt seems to be the last one. Had the
motivation
>for
> > your article been your conclusion, after an extensive study, you
would
>not
> > have asked for pointers to some literature on that topic.
> >       But if you are penning such an article for the sake of writing
an
> > article, you should remember that you will be only contributing some

>more
> > fodder for the pseudo-intellectuals. Ofcourse, everyone respects
your
> > freedom of speech. But whatever you speak, should be borne out of
your
> > convictions. Not by picking up a catchy topic or phrase.
> >       The western press addresses BJP is a Hindu Nationalist party.
I
>doubt
> > if they know what they write. I believe that atleast we should
refrain
>from
> > stringing together such terms as Hindu nationalism, elite
>manipulation...
> > etc. They will only fuel "an-eye-for-an-eye" attitude in our
society,
>and
> > will not contribute to an healthy debate.
> >
> > regards,
> > Prasad Boddupalli.
> > >Hello,
> > >   I am an Indian student studying in the USA - writing a paper
> > >on Hindu nationalism. My contention is that I would like to show
how
> >an
> > >uprising of Hindu nationalism is possible despite the cleavages in
> > >Hinduism. Given that the caste, regional and linguistic factors
have
> >in
> > >the past been used divisively - how is the one "Hindu identity"
formed
>out
> > >of all these differences - Hinduism has never been a monolith. My
>argument
> > >is elite manipulation.....
> > >I was wondering if anyone could suggest any resources/inputs..
> > >I am very grateful for any help...
> > >thank you,
> > >Rajvi Mariwala.



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