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Scroll.in
7 days ago
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‘Consent': How does one define consent when systemic inequalities define gendered interactions?
At the beginning of 2025, New York Magazine published a gripping cover story by Lila Shapiro titled ' Call Me Master ', which detailed the disturbing allegations of sexual assault made by eight women against The Sandman and Coraline author Neil Gaiman. In response, Gaiman categorically denied any wrongdoing, stating, 'I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.' Yet, this is not an isolated case; it is part of a much larger reckoning shaped by the #MeToo movement – a movement that has repeatedly challenged the simplistic binary of yes and no when it comes to consent. It forces us to confront the complexities of power, coercion, and agency in intimate relationships, where lines are often blurred, and consent is not always as straightforward as it seems. The conversation around sexual violence has long been framed in terms of clear-cut violations, but the reality is far more nuanced. Power dynamics – shaped by gender, social hierarchies, and emotional dependencies – can render consent ambiguous, sometimes making coercion feel like choice. The #MeToo movement has laid bare these murky zones, compelling us to rethink the very foundations of how we understand consent, desire, and agency in interpersonal relationships. The concept of consent In her concise yet thought-provoking book, Consent: Fearful Asymmetry, Nilofer Kaul critically examines the concept of consent, unpacking its underlying assumptions of equality, rationality, and clear communication. But how do we navigate consent in a world that is inherently and unequally structured, where power imbalances are persistent and deeply entrenched? While consent may seem like a simple, straightforward principle, Kaul argues that it is anything but. Through her analysis, she highlights how the dynamics between two individuals are rarely equal – social, emotional, and structural power imbalances inevitably shape their choices, whether consciously or unconsciously. By focusing solely on consent as an isolated act of agreement or refusal, we risk overlooking the deeper violence embedded within these asymmetrical relationships. Kaul's work forces us to question whether the language of consent alone is sufficient when it often serves to mask the systemic inequalities that define gendered interactions. In reality, consent is far more complex than it appears – especially in a society where a woman's smile, her body language, or even the length of her clothing is frequently misinterpreted as consent. The very notion that consent is specific and does not automatically extend from one act to another is something our culture often struggles to acknowledge. As a result, the boundary between consent and coercion becomes perilously thin. It is precisely on this line that Nilofer Kaul situates her analysis. She writes, 'Consent works well only if the two parties stand in perfect symmetry, a desirable but somewhat utopian situation.' By highlighting this fundamental imbalance, Kaul challenges the assumption that consent can function as a clear-cut, transactional agreement. Instead, she forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality that, in a world riddled with asymmetries, the very framework of consent is often inadequate to capture the complexities of agency, power, and coercion. Kaul employs psychoanalysis – drawing extensively from Freud – to examine the unequal distribution of power between the sexes, particularly within intimate spaces. While this theoretical approach offers deep insights, it may pose a challenge for readers unfamiliar with psychoanalytic discourse. She argues that masculinity is not just associated with power but is burdened with the need to constantly prove and assert it. This relentless assertion often manifests through displays of violence, reinforcing a fragile and delusional sense of dominance. According to Kaul, this constructed potency is sustained by the systematic erasure of vulnerability, emotional depth, and introspection – qualities deemed incompatible with masculinity. Instead, these 'undesirable' traits are projected onto femininity, reinforcing a rigid and unequal gender binary. Through this lens, she reveals how patriarchal structures perpetuate a cycle where power is both inherited and violently maintained, making true agency within intimate relationships an ongoing struggle. Kaul delves into the fundamental asymmetry embedded within the very structure of gender organisation, where masculinity is exalted while femininity is systematically devalued. In this deeply entrenched hierarchy, men are positioned as inherently superior, while women are expected to exist in a state of subservience. Consent, coercion, and constraint Given this power imbalance, Kaul challenges the assumption that consent, as it operates within such a system, can ever be entirely free of coercion or constraint. When one gender is socialised to dominate and the other to submit, can consent truly be considered an act of untainted agency? By interrogating these dynamics, she compels us to rethink consent not as a neutral agreement between equals but as something that is always shaped – and often distorted – by the unequal structures within which it is negotiated. While Consent: Fearful Asymmetry makes an urgent and necessary intervention in understanding the complexities of consent, its analysis remains largely confined to a binary understanding of gender, leaving unexamined the many intersections that further complicate power dynamics – class, caste, religion, and race, to name a few. These factors do not merely exist alongside gender but actively shape and intensify the asymmetry Kaul critiques. Additionally, her exploration of consent is primarily situated within the realm of romantic or intimate relationships, overlooking the many contexts where coercion operates beyond these boundaries. What about situations where women are pressured into providing sexual favours in exchange for employment, financial security, or other forms of survival? Or in conflict zones, where the imbalance of power is not just social but militarised, exacerbating the violence of forced consent? While Kaul's work is a valuable starting point, these questions remain crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of how consent operates in a deeply stratified world.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Khosla Ventures among VCs experimenting with AI-infused roll-ups of mature companies
Venture capitalists have always focused on investing in companies that leverage technology to either disrupt established industries or create entirely new business categories. But some VCs are starting to flip the script on their investing styles. Rather than funding startups, they are acquiring mature businesses –such as call centers, accounting firms, and other professional service firms—and optimizing them with artificial intelligence to serve more customers through automation. This strategy, often likened to private equity roll-ups, is being employed by firms such as General Catalyst, Thrive Capital, and solo VC Elad Gil. General Catalyst, touting this as a new asset class, has already backed seven such companies, including Long Lake, a startup that scoops up homeowners' associations in an effort to make the management of communities more streamlined. Since its founding less than two years ago, Long Lake has secured $670 million in funding, according to PitchBook data. While the strategy is still new, a few other venture outfits have told TechCrunch that they are also considering trying out the investment model. Among them is Khosla Ventures, a firm known for making early bets on risky, unproven technologies with long development timelines. "I think we'll look at a few of these types of opportunities," Samir Kaul, general partner at Khosla Ventures, told TechCrunch. Interestingly, this PE-flavored approach could be a surprising benefit to the multitudes of AI startups VCs are backing. If a VC marries old businesses with new technology, AI startups wanting to serve these industries would essentially gain instant access to large, established clients. According to Kaul, such access would be helpful when new startups have difficulties securing customers on their own. With the rapid rate of change in AI, the number of startups pouring into the market, and the historically long sales cycles involved in selling to enterprises, such difficulties apply to many AI startups. But Khosla Ventures wants to proceed with caution. "The companies we're looking at are very unlikely to lose money," Kaul said, but he doesn't want the strategy to ruin the firm's strong return track record. "My biggest stress in life is I'm managing other people's money, and I want to make sure that I continue to be a good steward of it." While Khosla Ventures is starting to "dabble" in AI roll-up investments, Kaul explained that the firm wants to do a few deals to assess if such investments deliver strong returns for the firm before possibly raising money for some kind of vehicle specifically aimed at this investment strategy. If early bets pan out, Khosla would likely partner with a PE-style firm to help it with acquisitions rather than hire a team. "We wouldn't do it alone, we don't have that expertise," he said. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Khosla Ventures among VCs experimenting with AI-infused roll-ups of mature companies
Venture capitalists have always focused on investing in companies that leverage technology to either disrupt established industries or create entirely new business categories. But some VCs are starting to flip the script on their investing styles. Rather than funding startups, they are acquiring mature businesses –such as call centers, accounting firms, and other professional service firms—and optimizing them with artificial intelligence to serve more customers through automation. This strategy, often likened to private equity roll-ups, is being employed by firms such as General Catalyst, Thrive Capital, and solo VC Elad Gil. General Catalyst, touting this as a new asset class, has already backed seven such companies, including Long Lake, a startup that scoops up homeowners' associations in an effort to make the management of communities more streamlined. Since its founding less than two years ago, Long Lake has secured $670 million in funding, according to PitchBook data. While the strategy is still new, a few other venture outfits have told TechCrunch that they are also considering trying out the investment model. Among them is Khosla Ventures, a firm known for making early bets on risky, unproven technologies with long development timelines. "I think we'll look at a few of these types of opportunities," Samir Kaul, general partner at Khosla Ventures, told TechCrunch. Interestingly, this PE-flavored approach could be a surprising benefit to the multitudes of AI startups VCs are backing. If a VC marries old businesses with new technology, AI startups wanting to serve these industries would essentially gain instant access to large, established clients. According to Kaul, such access would be helpful when new startups have difficulties securing customers on their own. With the rapid rate of change in AI, the number of startups pouring into the market, and the historically long sales cycles involved in selling to enterprises, such difficulties apply to many AI startups. But Khosla Ventures wants to proceed with caution. "The companies we're looking at are very unlikely to lose money," Kaul said, but he doesn't want the strategy to ruin the firm's strong return track record. "My biggest stress in life is I'm managing other people's money, and I want to make sure that I continue to be a good steward of it." While Khosla Ventures is starting to "dabble" in AI roll-up investments, Kaul explained that the firm wants to do a few deals to assess if such investments deliver strong returns for the firm before possibly raising money for some kind of vehicle specifically aimed at this investment strategy. If early bets pan out, Khosla would likely partner with a PE-style firm to help it with acquisitions rather than hire a team. "We wouldn't do it alone, we don't have that expertise," he said. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Mint
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
OCI explained – the status under which UK professor Nitasha Kaul lost citizenship for ‘anti-India acts'
The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched the revamped portal for Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), a special status for Indian nationals residing in another country, which will provide a user-friendly experience for accessing OCI services. Home Minister Amit Shah, on Tuesday, in a post on social media, stressed that Indian-origin citizens residing in various countries "must face no inconvenience when visiting or staying in India." Incidentally, the launch happened just two days after Nitasha Kaul, a British Kashmiri Professor of Politics and International Relations at London's University of Westminster, claimed that her OCI was cancelled by the Indian authorities over alleged 'anti-India activities'.According to PTI report, Kaul has been accused of 'numerous inimical writings, speeches and journalistic activities at various international forums and on social media platforms' that target 'India and its institutions on the matters of India's sovereignty'. Also read | Big relief for academic Ashok Swain: Delhi High Court sets aside govt's order cancelling OCI Card OCI, or Overseas Citizenship of India, is a special status granted to individuals of Indian origin who are citizens of another country. It allows them to travel to and stay in India without restrictions, offering a lifelong, multiple-entry visa, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The OCI scheme was introduced in 2005 through an amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955. It enables Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) to register as OCI holders, provided they were citizens of India on or after 26 January 1950, or were eligible to become citizens on that date. However, those who are or have been citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh - or whose parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were - are not eligible. The new OCI portal aims to fix past issues and make the process easier for users. It incorporates the latest technology and feedback from OCI cardholders over the years. The portal offers several helpful features, such as account sign-up, automatic filling of profile details in OCI application forms, an online payment system, and clear guidance on which documents to upload based on the type of application. The current OCI services portal, developed in 2013, is active in over 180 Indian missions worldwide and 12 FRROs within India, handling around 2,000 applications each day. The MHA cancelled 57 OCI registrations in 2024, which is almost half the total number of such cancellations made in the past 10 years, according to a report by The Hindu. From 2014 to mid-2023, the MHA executed cancellations OCI registrations 122 times under Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955. The number of cancellations rose sharply in 2024, and 15 more have already been made this year (until 19 May), the report further added. Recently, Kaul received a cancellation notice from the Indian government under Section 7D. The academic described the move as a 'vindictive, cruel example of transnational repression' and accused the Central government of 'targeting' her for expressing her views. Professor Nitasha Kaul is an Indian-origin British citizen who works as a scholar in the UK. A Professor of Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster in London, Prof Kaul also describes herself as a 'Kashmiri novelist'. Her focus areas include "right-wing politics, postcolonial neoliberal nationalism, the Hindutva project in India, and the history and politics of Kashmir".
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
194 OCI registrations cancelled under citizenship law since 2014: RTI
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) cancelled 57 Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) registrations under Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955, in 2024, which was nearly half the number of cancellations in the previous 10 years, according to data obtained by The Hindu under the Right to Information Act. The MHA executed the cancellations under Section 7D 122 times from 2014 to 2023 (decadal data until mid-2023 was first reported that year by legal news portal Article 14), 57 times in 2024, and fifteen times until May 19 this year. British academic Nitasha Kaul received a notice about the cancellation of her OCI registration under Section 7D this month. 'Through your numerous inimical writings, speeches, and journalistic activities at various international forums and on social media platforms, you regularly target India and its institutions on the matters of India's sovereignty,' stated the Union government's notice to Ms. Kaul. The academic has called the move a 'vindictive, cruel example of transnational repression' while accusing the Central government of 'targeting' her for her views. Under Section 7D, the Union government can issue notice to an OCI holder and cancel their registration, essentially barring them from entering India, on any of the these four grounds: the use of fraudulent means to obtain the OCI, withholding of information, displaying 'disaffection' with the Constitution, and aiding an 'enemy' during a war. OCI is the Indian response to demands for recognition of dual nationality, and OCI card holders, typically people of Indian descent who no longer live in the country or foreign nationals married to Indians, have historically been able to travel freely within India and work in the country, with the caveat that they cannot vote or own agricultural land. OCI cancellations have spiked in recent years. Some of the people whose registrations were cancelled have linked the actions with their political views and dissent. In 2021, the Union government added further restrictions on OCI registrations by requiring an additional permit from the MHA for journalists, missionaries, and mountaineers. French journalist Vanessa Dougnac's registration was cancelled in 2024, but she was reissued the card in March this year. The OCI registration of Sweden-based academic Ashok Swain was cancelled in 2023. He alleged that he was being 'witch-hunted' for his views on the 'political dispensation of the current government'. The Delhi High Court cancelled the order revoking his OCI in March while allowing the government to restart the process. U.S. journalist Raphael Satter, working for the newswire agency Reuters, similarly had his OCI registration revoked in 2023. Mr. Satter approached the Delhi High Court against it this March. The court has issued a notice to the Union government. The case has been scheduled for Thursday.
