Dr. Subha Das Mollick

Aristotle declared man to be a political animal because of his power of speech and  moral reasoning. Indeed, political discourse is an important aspect of our social life and in a  democracy it is a way of exercising our right to freedom of speech.

By participating consciously in a political discourse, we become a part of the process of development. The right to cast our vote is a fundamental right given to us by the Constitution and we earn this right by being politically aware. A political person is, according to Aristotle, like “a bird which flies alone”. Therefore, a course on meaningful and skilled political discourse expected to have a measured impact on the public is useful for every citizen of a democracy, whether or not politics forms a part of his professional life. It has been my pleasure to observe Abhishek Kadiyala developing and delivering the course “Introduction to Political Analysis” for OER4BW.

While editing the essays submitted by his students, I realized that they are aware of world affairs and have acquired the skill to build up an argument in a rational, unbiased fashion. Such dispassionate, unbiased arguments are the need of the hour for creating a healthy political climate in a democratic society. I only hope that when the course is run again, more students will submit their essays and they will not shy away from writing on controversial topics nearer home.

– Subha Das Mollick

Hub Coordinator of Hub Education 5

Open Education for a Better World