Economic and Political Weekly

Economic and Political Weekly
Editor

C. Rammanohar Reddy

Executive Editor: Aniket Alam
Categories Economics, Politics, Sociology, and History
Frequency Weekly
Format Magazine
Publisher Sameeksha Trust
Year founded 1949
Country India
Based in Mumbai
Language English
Website http://www.epw.in
ISSN 00129976

The Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) is a weekly Indian Social Science journal, published in Mumbai by the Sameeksha Trust. It is among the most well known scholarly journals in the country and outside.

History and profile

The Economic and Political Weekly was first published in 1949 as the Economic Weekly (edited by Sachin Chaudhuri),[1] and since 1966 was re-named the Economic and Political Weekly.[2] It was edited by Krishna Raj for more than three decades. The present editor is C. Rammanohar Reddy, a graduate of the Indian Institutes of Management and a former economics editor of The Hindu.[3] The EPW used to operate out of a cramped rented office space in Mumbai, but a one-time grant by private foundations enabled the journal to buy its own office in the Lower Parel area of the city. It has an editorial staff of seven people dealing with author correspondence, commissioning, editing and production every week.

As of 2014, it is estimated to have 13,000 issues in print and 5,000 online subscribers. Archives from 1949 are now digitally available, and web exclusives are regularly put up. Readership is estimated to be at least ten times that figure, given institutional subscriptions and its long shelf-life. While subscriptions contribute the chunk of the revenue, the journal also depends heavily on banks paying ad rates to publish their annual statements – which run into 35-40 pages. Tight budgets mean that the journal has chosen not to invest in additional colour and design and keep the focus on the content.

The journal is among the most prestigious scholarly journals in India,[4] and has had contributions from many of the country's best known scholars.[5] The magazine is sometimes considered the Indian version of The Nation, an esteemed New York weekly.[6]

Contents

The magazine publishes scholarly research and analysis on economics, political, sociology and history, frequently from some of the most well known scholars in those areas. In addition, it carries news and book reviews, as well as the editorial section.[4] It is known for its strong editorial stance with a "social conscience".[7]

Political position

The editorials of the EPW are known to take left-leaning positions. For instance, the editorials of the EPW were occasionally critical of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) government in West Bengal for not being radical enough.[8] The journal was harshly critical of some of the policies of the Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency, as well as of state complicity in the 2002 Gujarat riots.[9] The journal has contributors from across the political spectrum, including Marxists, Neoliberal economists, and the political centre.[9]

References

  1. ↑ On Sachin Choudhuri - the founder of a unique magazine/journal (Sixty years ago) pragoti.in. Retrieved 16 September 2012
  2. ↑ Calcutta Diary Ashok Mitra. Psychology Press, 1977 - Social Science - 206 pages
  3. ↑ C. Rammanohar Reddy outlookindia.com. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Goddard, Stephen (1983). A Guide to Information Sources in the Geographical Sciences. Lanham, Maryland, USA: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-389-20403-9. ISBN 0-389-20403-X, p. 122.
  5. ↑ EPW readies for second innings business-standard.com. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2014
  6. ↑ Guha, Ramachandran. "The Gentle Colossus". The Caravan. Delhi Press. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  7. ↑ EPW plans editions in Indian languages hindu.com. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2014
  8. ↑ Kohli, Atul (1990). Democracy and Discontent: India's Growing Crisis of Governability. Cambridge University Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780521396929.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Krishna Raj". The Guardian (London). 17 February 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2010.

External links