Ricksha art as political indicator in Bangladesh

Anthropologist Joanna Kirkpatrick, Outlook India

Much has been written on jihadism, terrorist training camps and anti-secularism, but so far none of the published material has ever provided grass-roots evidence of where public opinion, the views of the chhoto lok, stand. Yet these are the very people the jihadis and worse are so successful in organizing.

Thus, it behooves analysts to take a look at the rickshas, an important source of visual revelations on public opinion. Ricksha pictures tend to be ignored by the gentry as vulgar and not art, but my years of research on ricksha art have shown me all too clearly what the common man in the streets has on his mind >>continue

SEE ALSO:
Kirkpatrick's website about The Ricksha Art of Bangladesh (great pictures!)