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Sehar Malik

Sehar Malik is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and minoring in French. Sehar’s column, “People Talking” runs on alternate Tuesdays.

MALIK: Why did Kamala Harris lose?

In the past week, after the 2024 election, I have seen a lot of dejected women posting about how Vice President Kamala Harris lost because she is a woman.Nov 13

MALIK: Harris' rightward shift should not be celebrated

In the past week, I read an article from Vox that claimed a loss in the upcoming presidential election for current Vice President Kamala Harris would lead to a shift toward the political Right of the Democratic Party.Oct 29

MALIK: No one should be left on roofs to die

Hurricane Helene, a hurricane that has horribly affected North Carolina, currently has a death toll of at least 231, along with the hundreds of people who are still unaccounted for. The immense flooding and power outages have led to many families losing the ability to connect with their relatives and stay safe in their homes.Oct 16

MALIK: Exaggerated novelty of youth

When a movie, song or even a new app is described as good, you expect to hear resounding praise. Criticism will always be there, but if something is truly worthy of praise, can there really be an overwhelming amount of criticism?Oct 1

MALIK: Disappointing debate

The presidential debate on September 10 was a heated match between former President Donald J. Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris. It was a highly anticipated event following the dramatic changes and the two parties' national conventions in the previous months.Sep 17

MALIK: Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers attack did not occur in isolation

When I wrote an opinion article about the need for Rutgers to do more to protect its Palestinian and Muslim students in regard to the peaceful chalk drawings being removed, I did not think that six months later I would be sitting down to write the same exact message with the same hopes of change.Apr 17

MALIK: Accountability first, then action

Every day, we wake up and are told that nothing can be done regarding the Israel-Hamas war, whether from the "noble" institutions whose job it is to make sure international law is being followed or if it is the "leader" of the "free" world who is supposedly frustrated, but not enough to stop arming and funding what United Nations (UN) experts are calling a risk of genocide toward the Palestinian people.Apr 5

MALIK: We should prioritize solidarity, not news avoidance

The longer we exist in a tumultuous "political" state with more and more devastating news headlines, the more shocked I get that my day-to-day life remains the same.Mar 7

MALIK: Do not heed Al Jaber's COP28 statements

The COP28 climate summit is being held in Dubai this year, and with less and less time before climate change becomes irreversible, the pressure on the summit and its leaders is obviously increasing. Dec 11

MALIK: Diaspora literature needs to move away from limiting stereotypes, white approval

Diaspora literature has long served as a voice for Asian Americans and other minorities who are part of a diaspora, which can be defined as "people settled far from their ancestral homelands."Nov 20 2023

MALIK: Rutgers must do more to protect its Palestinian students

Paulo Freire, author of "Pedagogy of the Oppressed," once said: "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral."Oct 30 2023

MALIK: Students deserve holistic public education, voters must recognize this

With the upcoming state elections, one of the more pressing conversations has been public education. The operation of K-12 public education is a growing national topic, with Republican presidential candidates calling for the end of the Department of Education, intending to have states play a greater role in students' curricula.Oct 16 2023

MALIK: Do not make light of climate change via social media

"Photographs are a way of imprisoning reality," writes Susan Sontag in her essay "On Photography." "One can't possess reality, one can possess images — one can't possess the present, but one can possess the past ... Needing to have reality confirmed and experience enhanced by photographs is an aesthetic consumerism to which everyone is now addicted. Industrial societies turn their citizens into image junkies. It is the most irresistible form of mental pollution."Oct 2 2023

MALIK: Why comedian Hasan Minhaj's fabricated 'emotional truths' are still worth listening to

Identity politics is arguably more confusing than clear. Vox emphasizes the vague nature of the phrase but states that the concept "generally refers to the discussion of and politicking around issues pertaining to one's, well, identity." Identity can refer to many different groups, whether it be in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or immigration status.Sep 18 2023

MALIK: Why online anonymity does not deserve its bad reputation

Reddit, Yik Yak and Rutgers Missed Connections: These are all ways Rutgers students have decided to connect with the world around them anonymously. The key thing here is the anonymity these applications give us as we come together under one umbrella: Rutgers.Sep 5 2023

MALIK: University rankings make us forget what truly matters

Choosing the college you are going to attend can feel like a life-or-death decision. It has been made to feel like the end of the world as you know it. But time always moves on, and just like that, another year has come for millions of high school students to decide where to go the following year to pursue higher education.May 1 2023

MALIK: Strike suspension should not be end of fight for Rutgers faculty

In the early hours of April 15, Rutgers' strike was officially suspended. After a week-long suspension of classes, combined with faculty and students marching at picket lines across all three Rutgers campuses, there appeared to be some resolution in the end, as negotiations between three unions and the University were conducted with Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) in the New Jersey State House in Trenton.Apr 17 2023

MALIK: Rutgers needs more than signs to make up for its racist history

Rutgers has placed historical markers acknowledging the relationship between its existence and enslaved labor around several campuses, standing tall outside of Frelinghuysen Hall and Hardenbergh Hall on the College Avenue campus, the Livingston Student Center and the Wood Lawn Mansion on Douglass campuses since 2021.Apr 3 2023

MALIK: Fox News' scandal highlights conflict of interest in modern news

Dominion’s legal battle with Fox News began as a lawsuit against the "false claims about a stolen election, alleging that the voting technology company was part of a purported plot to steal votes from defeated former president Donald Trump."Mar 20 2023

MALIK: We have become too puritanical about our media

Recently, a friend of mine and I were browsing through a bookstore, and she picked up "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck — a great book that I was currently reading. Within 20 minutes of reading, she put the book away, stating that the author was racist.Feb 27 2023

MALIK: Lack of investment in US public transportation system reflects classism

Highways built for commutes have long been a symbol of change and progress, whether that is observed in the construction of more highways or their repair. They are an important symbol, and why wouldn't they be? With increased dependence on cars and cities, it has become more necessary to have proper highways and vice-versa.Feb 13 2023

MALIK: Creating sustainable cities is key to fighting climate change — if we are determined enough

Oftentimes, the narrative surrounding cities is that of the wonder of skyscrapers or the joy that comes from so many things to do. One of the main things people tend to criticize, though, is the lack of nature. Trees are used for lining the streets, with little to no leaves which would create a mess. Parks are generally small with the most basic of activities, along with the constant noise of the city, reminding you where you are.Feb 3 2023

MALIK: Be wary of idolizing lifestyle habits of world's wealthiest

In recent years, there has been a greater focus on hustle culture, which is being promoted by those who we would expect to need money the least: millionaires and billionaires.Jan 19 2023

MALIK: Unrealistic expectations toward college, other life stages will spoil experience

If you have just started college and find yourself looking back at high school, you may find yourself in an odd predicament, one that I have recently observed. We see one of our experiences as the original, while the rest become the less exciting sequel.Dec 15 2022

MALIK: Work culture inundates contemporary society, we must change our priorities

Recently, the push to "not dream of labor” has become more common. The revolution that comes along with "quit-tok" has become widely accepted. Wherever we turn, we find more movements arguing for the separation of people from their work. Why should this not be the case?Nov 17 2022