Democracy and Education: From Article 15 to Martha Nussbaum — Celebrating International Day of Democracy

The Department of English and Cultural Studies, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, celebrated the International Day of Democracy by organizing an engaging series of academic activities under the event title “Democracy and Education: From Article 15 to Martha Nussbaum.” Designed to encourage students to reflect deeply on equality, justice, human rights, and responsible citizenship, the initiative sought to create a meaningful academic space where postgraduate students could explore the foundational values of a vibrant democratic society beyond traditional textbook learning. On 12th September, the department hosted a special screening of Anubhav Sinha’s acclaimed film Article 15. Drawing its title directly from the constitutional provision prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth, the movie offered a powerful framing to examine human dignity, access to justice, and the persistent gap between constitutional ideals and lived social realities in contemporary India.

Following the screening, students pursuing the MA in English with Digital Humanities (MA EDH) program engaged in an immersive, highly reflective classroom discussion. They critically connected the narrative of the movie with key theoretical frameworks and analytical concepts learned in their core course, Gender and Society through Digital Media. This interdisciplinary engagement enabled the MA EDH students to examine how digital and cinematic media representations intersect with systemic inequality, institutional power dynamics, and marginalized social identities. By bridging digital humanities methods with real-world social critique, the students gained a richer, practical application of their academic coursework while thoughtfully discussing the structural challenges faced by disadvantaged communities today.

Complementing the film screening and student discussions, Dr. Rolla Das, Assistant Professor at Mahindra University, led an insightful academic session on 15th September. Specifically designed to enhance constitutional awareness, ethical responsibility, and democratic literacy among students, the session examined democracy as an informed, participatory way of life rather than merely a formal political structure. The lecture explored Martha Nussbaum’s influential ideas on human development and the vital role of literary imagination in cultivating social empathy, alongside the perspectives of foundational political thinkers such as Joseph Schumpeter, John Rawls, and Jürgen Habermas. Through these diverse philosophical lenses, the interactive session examined media discourse, language, contemporary advertisements, racism, and migration, challenging students to cultivate critical thinking, public justification, and active empathy in their everyday civic engagement.

Both initiatives strongly resonated with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10): Reduced Inequalities. By prompting students to evaluate discriminatory structures, recognize diverse lived experiences, and advocate for meaningful social inclusion, the overall event successfully bridged constitutional principles, cinematic representation, and political philosophy by helping students connect their academic learning directly to their responsibilities as citizens. Through this holistic combination of film, classroom dialogue, and an expert lecture, the department provided MA EDH students with a vibrant, thought-provoking academic learning environment. The event successfully highlighted the essential role of higher education institutions in actively fostering civic participation, advancing social justice, and steadfastly upholding enduring constitutional values in order to nurture a truly inclusive, progressive, dynamic, and highly equitable democratic society for all citizens.