International Insights Journal of Multidisciplinary Research

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Abstract

This paper examines the conceptual intersection between the ancient Greek mythological figure of Medea and the contemporary phenomenon of digital media, proposing the idea of a "Digital Medea" as a useful lens through which to understand identity, betrayal, power, and vengeance in the networked age. Medea, as immortalized in Euripides' tragedy, represents a woman who exists at the margins of patriarchal and civic power, who is betrayed by the very systems she helped sustain, and who ultimately resorts to devastating acts of agency to reclaim control over her narrative. This paper argues that the digital media ecosystem—with its algorithms, surveillance architectures, performative identities, and capacity for both empowerment and destruction—mirrors many of the dynamics embodied by Medea. Through textual analysis, media theory, and contemporary case studies, this paper explores how digital platforms create modern "Medean" subjects: individuals who are simultaneously empowered by technology and rendered vulnerable by it, who can construct alternate identities, and who may, when betrayed by systems of trust, turn the very tools of their oppression into instruments of resistance or destruction. The paper concludes by reflecting on what the myth of Medea can teach us about ethical design, digital citizenship, and the psychological costs of a hyper-mediated existence.

Keywords : Digital Medea, Greek Mythology, Algorithmic Governance, Digital Identity, Cancel Culture

Abstract

Mahatma Gandhi occupies a unique and often contested position in the history of feminist thought and gender discourse in India. As the leader of the Indian independence movement, Gandhi articulated a vision of women's role in society and politics that was simultaneously progressive for its time and constrained by certain traditional assumptions about femininity, domesticity, and moral purity. This paper examines Gandhi's thought on women across several dimensions: his theoretical writings on women's rights and capabilities, his practical mobilization of women in the nationalist movement, his views on marriage, sexuality, and celibacy, and the ways in which his philosophy of nonviolence (ahimsa) and civil disobedience (satyagraha) were deeply gendered concepts that elevated qualities he associated with women. The paper also engages critically with feminist scholarship that has both celebrated Gandhi's contributions to women's emancipation and challenged the limitations and contradictions within his framework, particularly regarding sexuality, bodily autonomy, and his idealization of women primarily through the lens of self-sacrifice and suffering. Through this analysis, the paper argues that Gandhi's legacy regarding women remains deeply ambivalent: he was instrumental in bringing unprecedented numbers of women into public and political life, yet his vision of womanhood remained tethered to essentialist notions of female virtue that continue to be debated by scholars and activists today.

Keywords: Mahatma Gandhi, Women's Rights, Indian Independence Movement, Satyagraha, Ahimsa

Abstract

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved by the Union Cabinet of India on July 29, 2020, represents the most comprehensive overhaul of India's education system since the previous policy framework of 1986, as modified in 1992. Replacing more than three decades of incremental policy adjustments, NEP 2020 articulates a sweeping vision for transforming India's educational landscape across all levels—from early childhood care and education through higher education, vocational training, and lifelong learning. This paper provides a detailed examination of the NEP 2020, situating it within the historical trajectory of Indian education policy, analyzing its core structural reforms including the 5+3+3+4 curricular framework, its emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy, multilingualism, vocational integration, and its ambitious restructuring of higher education through multidisciplinary institutions and flexible degree programs. The paper also critically examines the implementation challenges, resource constraints, federal-state tensions, and concerns regarding equity, language politics, and privatization that have emerged in scholarly and public discourse since the policy's adoption. By synthesizing policy text, government reports, and academic critique, this paper offers a balanced assessment of NEP 2020's transformative potential alongside the significant obstacles that stand between its aspirational vision and its practical realization across India's vast and diverse educational landscape.

Keywords: National Education Policy 2020, NEP 2020, Indian Education Reform, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

Abstract

The proliferation of digital media—including smartphones, tablets, social media platforms, video streaming services, and interactive gaming environments—has fundamentally transformed the conditions under which contemporary childhood unfolds. Children today are born into media-saturated environments and begin interacting with digital devices at progressively younger ages, raising urgent questions for developmental psychology, education, public health, and child protection policy. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the relationship between children and digital media across multiple dimensions. It begins by tracing the historical evolution of children's media environments from television to the contemporary multi-platform digital ecosystem, before examining the developmental implications of digital media use across early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. The paper considers both the documented benefits of digital media engagement, including educational potential, social connection, and creative expression, and the substantial body of research identifying risks, including impacts on attention and cognitive development, sleep disruption, exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, problematic or addictive use patterns, and the commercial exploitation of children's data and attention by technology platforms. The paper further examines the regulatory and policy responses that have emerged globally and within India specifically, the role of parents and educators in mediating children's digital media use, and the ongoing scholarly debate regarding appropriate screen time guidelines. The paper concludes by considering what a balanced, evidence-informed approach to children's digital media engagement might entail, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond simplistic narratives of digital media as either uniformly harmful or uniformly beneficial toward a more nuanced understanding attentive to content, context, and individual developmental needs.

Keywords: Children and Digital Media, Screen Time, Child Development, Digital Natives, Social Media and Adolescents, Cyberbullying

Abstract:

Contemporary environmental crises, particularly climate change, the excessive use of natural resources, and environmental destruction, are not merely scientific or economic problems; rather, they constitute a profound moral crisis. Ecofeminist thinker Vandana Shiva has shown that patriarchal development paradigms transform nature into a “resource,” thereby initiating parallel forms of exploitation of both women and nature. In this context, Kant’s moral law and categorical imperative—namely, not deceiving others and not causing harm to others—and Gandhi’s view that violence must be renounced not only in its physical form but also in thought and speech, become newly relevant. For Gandhi, Ahimsa is not passive; rather, it is peaceful resistance against injustice, which he termed Satyagraha. The only ethical means of establishing truth is non-violence. In this regard, the ethical philosophies of Kant and Gandhi acquire renewed significance. The primary objective of this research is to explore three questions: 1. What are the fundamental similarities and differences between Immanuel Kant’s concept of the Kingdom of Ends and Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Ahimsa with regard to the principle of “non-harm”? 2. Can a structural integration of these two principles make Ecofeminist thought theoretically more coherent and explanatorily more robust? 3. Can the integrated conception of Kant’s Kingdom of Ends and Gandhi’s Ahimsa establish a dual moral responsibility toward future generations based on “non-harm” and “non-violence”? Methodologically, this study follows a philosophical-analytical approach, involving a comparative analysis of primary texts and contemporary interpretations. The principal theoretical contribution of this research is that Kant’s categorical imperative establishes a minimum moral boundary within which “not causing harm” and “not treating others merely as means” are obligatory. However, because this framework is anthropocentric, direct moral responsibility toward nature remains limited. In contrast, Gandhi’s Ahimsa is a broader ethical practice that involves not only the avoidance of violence but also active compassion, self-discipline, and the moral unity of means and ends. Ecofeminism introduces an additional dimension to these frameworks by placing the interrelationship among women, nature, and marginalized groups at the center of ethical reflection. Gandhi’s concept of Ahimsa transcends Kant’s condition and develops it into a positive, relational ethical ideal. This integrated framework is particularly significant in the context of intergenerational ethics because it establishes a dual moral obligation toward future generations based on both “not causing harm” and “avoiding violence.” Consequently, this research not only strengthens the theoretical foundations of ecofeminist ethics but also provides an integrated moral interpretation as a means of addressing contemporary crises affecting women and the environment.

Keywords: Mahatma Gandhi, Immanuel Kant, Ecofeminism, Non-violence, Means, Ends

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20921190