Exodus Constitutionalism: Mass Migration in CovidLockdown Times, 29 June 2020
Scope and Contents
The Upendra Baxi Collection is a digital collection that currently comprises a single series, Bibliography. This series is organised into several subseries, including Published Academic Articles, Published Book Chapters, Published Books, Published Book Reviews, Published Lectures and Presentations from Conferences and Seminars, Newspaper Articles, Letters and Correspondence (Mathura Rape Case), Other Media, and Media Articles by Others on the Mathura Rape Case.
Dates
- Publication: 29 June 2020
Creator
- Upendra Baxi (Author, Person)
- Sharunya (Archives Intern, Person)
- Meghashree Dev (Processing Archivist, Person)
Full Extent
From the Collection: 250 Megabytes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This profound piece reflects on the mass migration of laborers during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Baxi conceptualizes this "exodus" as a moment of "constitutional failure," where the state’s duty to protect the "right to life" of the most vulnerable was suspended. He argues that the exodus was a form of "mass civil disobedience" born of desperation. The article suggests that "constitutionalism" must move beyond elite legal texts to address the "bare life" of the impoverished. It is a plea for a more empathetic "demosprudence" that recognizes the movement of people as a claim for constitutional recognition and basic dignity. In The India Forum
Topical
Repository Details
Part of the NLS Law and Society Archives Repository