Understanding Allyship through the history of Civil Liberties Activism in India

Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 2pm to 4pm

Abstract-
This talk looks at civil liberties groups in Indian politics as a distinct form of collective action. We often think of social movement politics as a bi-partisan conflict between a movement and the state. But in reality, movement politics is an ecosystem. Many other actors are involved, such as allies, legal aid groups, alternative media platforms, working alongside movements. Their role is important, but often overlooked in the history of India's civil society based politics. This talk explores what ally activism tells us about Indian democracy.

Ankita Pandey is an Associate Professor of Political Studies in O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India, and a Research Associate at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford.

Term: Michaelmas, Week 2

Speaker(s): Ankita Pandey (O. P. Jindal Global University)

Series: MSAS

Venue: St Antony's College - Pavilion Room
Pavilion Room St Antony's College 62 Woodstock Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX2 6JF United Kingdom

Department: Asian Studies Centre (St Antony's)

Host: Asian Studies Centre