A central theme of the course was the impact of globalization, described variously as the spread of market capitalism, cultural imperialism, or more benignly as the pathway to liberalism and freedom. Whatever, we may think of this phenomenon, it has undoubtedly led to the spread of "Baywatch."

In an effort to assess ways in which social groups are looking for alternatives to the spread of globalization, we came into contact with activists and artists at Shikshantar or "The Peoples' Institute for Rethinking Education and Development" in Udaipur.

Interactions at Shikshantar also brought us into contact with Gandhians, socialists, anarchists, and a range of people working on art, women's rights, reproductive health, alternative medicine, and education. Partly as a result of these connections, and to stress Gandhi's insistence on the dignity of labor students were asked to engage in "shram-daan," or the act of donating labor for the welfare of a community, in the village of Kadia.

Students spent the whole day in the village, meeting people and raising questions about the nature of postcolonial activism, and questions about culture and power...

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