by Priya Patel – University of Florida Graduate “Let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property...

by Devika Bakshi – University of Oregon It was the fourth of July, and I was prepared for the annual wave of patriotism that washes over even the most self-critical corners of the United States. I was unperturbed, my affection for America ripe, the smell of fireworks in the air. But I woke up...

by Sneha Goud – Michigan State – Graduate Last month, thirty-eight year old Nikki Haley won the GOP primary in South Carolina to be the first Indian-American woman candidate for governor. Haley’s parents are Sikh, and immigrated from India in 1963. Her childhood is peppered with incidents...

How do women feel about equal rights today? Are women progressing around the world in attaining better jobs and social standing? The NY Times  posted an article disscussing a new survey accross 22 countries that showed a large gap between the sexes when it comes to equality. Even in nations where equal...

by Sneha Goud – Michigan State – Graduate Photograph was submitted by Natasha Raheja at Wave Mall in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. In another example of Western-style capitalism exerting its influence in the East, McDonald’s new marketing campaign for India tries to make a connection ...

by Neethi Srinivasan – University of Michigan Anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely obsessed with football (go Patriots!) and like any true sports fan, the successes and failures of my team can greatly affect my day, month, or even sometimes, my year (Giants v Patriots, anyone?). However,...

by Aditi Mehta Recently, the upper house of India’s Parliament passed a bill Tuesday that would amend the Constiution to reserve one-third of the seats in India’s national and state legislatures for women. The controversial bill has a long way to go, yet has stirred up strong sentiments on both...

by Foram Mehta As a child, I moved around frequently. My parents emigrated from India to the U.S. when I wasn’t even five years old, and we moved from place to place. It seems that I’ve perpetually been stuck with the “New Kid Syndrome” for most of my life. Unfortunately for me, the schools I...

by Syeda Hasan An awkward silence fills the room as she searches for something to focus her attention on. The pattern on the curtains, the number of tiles in the floor — anything to save her from having the conversation her mother is attempting to impose on her right now. “Fatima, I think it’s...

by Sharmeen Hirani French lawmakers want to study the prevalence of the Islamic burqa in hopes of banning the customary garment on public French grounds. This proposal coming shortly after the 2004 banning of the headscarf along with other religious displays in public schools. For years, France has pushed...