News Wire
HarperCollins India presents The Moral Contagion by Julia Hauser and Sarnath Banerjee
NEW DELHI, Jan. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Based on Julia Hauser’s rigorous scholarship and enhanced by Sarnath Banerjee’s wry illustrations, this utterly gripping book playfully melds meticulous research with imaginative storytelling to create a graphic narrative about pandemics from sixth-century Constantinople to late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and how it affected human relationships, systems of belief, knowledge and political power.
Paperback | Non-Fiction | 140 pp | Rs 699
Available wherever books are sold | Releasing 15th Jan 2024
Author, Julia Hauser, says, “The idea for ‘The Moral Contagion‘ came to us in the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic when the fear of this unknown virus and the pain of being separated from one’s wider social circle were dominant in many people’s lives. Yet others, generally members of ethnic minorities, found themselves scapegoated for allegedly spreading the virus. As we discussed these aspects, I mentioned that some of these social dynamics had been at work much earlier, most notably during the plague. Sarnath was intrigued by this, and this is how the book came into being. The Moral Contagion tells the story of the plague from antiquity to the early twentieth century in different cities and different parts of the world, from sixth-century Constantinople to late 19th-century Bombay. The book examines how societies, and indeed how morality, changed due to the plague. Since India was hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, we hope that The Moral Contagion will be of interest to many readers.”
Author, Sarnath Banerjee, says, “One of the big satisfaction of doing this book was to comb through the visual culture and historical references around the great plagues in preparation for the drawings. The drawings allowed me to meander freely through the centuries, getting to understand the moral universe of the times and feeling as if I was living through them.
“Julia’s sparkling storytelling style allowed the drawings to be interpretive rather than illustrative. I was given the freedom to build a parallel visual narrative that went alongside the main story. One of the great advantages of drawing is that it lets you slow down. While drawing Byzantine architecture, opium dens of colonial Hong Kong, Plague hospitals in Bombay, interiors of Damascus houses, it felt as if time stopped and went backward.
“Academics have great insights and imagination. Sadly, their works are often trapped in institutions and circulated between peers. They rarely ever affect culture and when they do it is always a significant step in influencing civil society.”
HarperCollins India Executive Publisher, Udayan Mitra, says, “Julia Hauser and Sarnath Banerjee have taken one of the most dreaded subjects of our time — that of pandemics — and turned it into a book that is at once illuminating and a joy to go through. Julia’s account of the plague pandemics that have struck over the centuries is immensely informative, and Sarnath’s colourful illustrations complement the narrative, making for a wonderful mix. The Moral Contagion is a book that should engage many a curious reader; we are HarperCollins India are delighted to be able to publish it this January.”
About the Book
I wake up shivering and with a sore throat. Is it Covid?
I grab a test kit and wait for the result. Luckily all is well.
Most likely I have just caught a harmless cold …
This scenario has become painfully familiar to us. India was one of the countries hit hardest by the Covid pandemic, with a tragically high number of casualties. The pandemic also made some things an integral part of our lives: wearing masks, sanitizing, social distancing, isolating oneself.
None of this, however, is unique—even though the Covid virus was a new one. Over the centuries, wave after wave of the devastating plague pandemic had impacted humanity in similar ways, and the responses to the threats it posed had been similar too. From sixth-century Constantinople and fourteenth-century Europe to Islamic Spain, seventeenth-century London, eighteenth-century Aleppo, and Hong Kong, Bombay, San Francisco and South Africa in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the history of the plague is, in a way, the story of modern civilization.
The Moral Contagion is an insightful and absorbing take on that story. Based on Julia Hauser’s rigorous scholarship and enhanced by Sarnath Banerjee’s wry illustrations, this utterly gripping book playfully melds meticulous research with imaginative storytelling to create a graphic narrative about pandemics and reflect on how societies and individuals tend to react when faced with an adversary that is, literally, larger than life.
About the Authors
Julia Hauser is a senior lecturer in Modern History at the University of Kassel, Germany, and an alumna of the Arab–German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA). Hauser was a fellow at the Orient Institut Beirut, Rice University, Houston/Texas, the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences Calcutta, and ICAS:MP, Delhi. Among her publications are German Religious Women in Late Ottoman Beirut. Competing Missions (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2015) and A Taste for Purity. An Entangled History of Vegetarianism. Columbia Studies in International and Global History (New York: Columbia University Press, 2023).
Sarnath Banerjee has published five works of graphic fiction: Corridor (Penguin, 2004), The Barn Owl’s Wondrous Capers (Penguin, 2007), The Harappa Files (HarperCollins, 2011), All Quiet in Vikaspuri (HarperCollins, 2015) and Doab Dil (Penguin, 2019). In collaboration with historians, Banerjee had produced ‘Liquid History of Vasco Da Gama‘ for the Kochi Biennial 2014, and ‘The Poona Circle’, a series of vandalized history textbooks, for the Pune Biennale 2017. He has been a fellow of the Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart; Indian Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore; and MacArthur Foundation. He received the Belknap fellowship, Princeton, and the CAST fellowship, MIT, in 2019.
ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIA
HarperCollins is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, having begun publishing in India in 1992. HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet. HarperCollins India has won the Publisher of the Year Award four times at Tata Literature Live! in 2022, 2021, 2018 and 2016, and at Publishing Next in 2021 & 2015. HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.
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News Wire
Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule
Celebrating community, creativity, and self-expression through a limited-edition drop inspired by India’s most vibrant subcultures.
MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jameson Connects joins forces with India’s largest sneaker and streetwear retailer, Crepdog Crew, to launch a one-of-a-kind limited-edition capsule that celebrates the spirit of counterculture in India. The collaboration is being launched under Jameson Connects – Jam Studio, a culture and community-driven collaborative space, which brings together creative minds to help explore a fresh artistic landscape.
Rooted in the dynamic street and creative scenes of India, Jameson Connects and Crepdog Crew have come together to spotlight authentic voices and celebrate self-expression from the ground up. Inspired by bomber jacket patch culture, the drop reinterprets the spirit of individuality and identity through a distinctive camo-style shacket with interchangeable patches, designed to be a canvas for personal storytelling. Complementing the shacket are a tote bag and mug, completing a bold and collectible capsule collection.
Ayush Kalra pays homage to the tattoo scene, Vijaya Aswani captures the dynamic energy of skateboarding, Jayesh Joshi channels the freedom of the biking community, and Siddhartha Iyer brings alive the rhythm and soul of music.
Anchit Kapil, Co-founder and CEO, Crepdog Crew, said, “Subcultures shape the streets long before trends catch up. At Crepdog Crew, we’ve always built spaces—physical and creative—for the community to thrive. This shacket is our way of putting that truth on fabric—a celebration of individuality, identity, and the scenes that give cities their soul. With Jameson Connects, we’ve created more than a drop—we’ve created a canvas for the culture.”
Mo Joshi, Co-founder of Azadi Records, Culture partner for Jameson Connects, said, “Real culture grows where community thrives. Jameson Connects has always been about championing grassroots voices and giving artists a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated. This collaboration with Crepdog Crew isn’t just about merch—it’s about movement.”
The drop celebrates the power of creative collaboration through art, music, and community-first experiences.
About Jameson Connects
Powered by Jameson Ginger Ale, Jameson Connects is a community-first platform for India’s creative voices. Through verticals like Jam Pad, Jam Stage, Jam Studio, and Jam Radio, it brings together culture-shaping individuals and subcultures to collaborate, co-create, and connect.
About Azadi Records
Azadi Records is a progressive Indian music label spotlighting thought-provoking hip-hop across regional languages and subcultures. Since 2017, it has given voice to the unheard, pushing the boundaries of what Indian music can be.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Shefali Bhatia, PR Pundit Havas Red | shefali.bhatia@prpundithavasred.com | +91 9821821032
Sanjana Jhawar, PR Pundit Havas Red | sanjana.jhawar@prpundithavasred.com | +91 7023080670
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/jameson-connects–crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-302472881.html
News Wire
Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule
Celebrating community, creativity, and self-expression through a limited-edition drop inspired by India’s most vibrant subcultures.
MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jameson Connects joins forces with India’s largest sneaker and streetwear retailer, Crepdog Crew, to launch a one-of-a-kind limited-edition capsule that celebrates the spirit of counterculture in India. The collaboration is being launched under Jameson Connects – Jam Studio, a culture and community-driven collaborative space, which brings together creative minds to help explore a fresh artistic landscape.
Rooted in the dynamic street and creative scenes of India, Jameson Connects and Crepdog Crew have come together to spotlight authentic voices and celebrate self-expression from the ground up. Inspired by bomber jacket patch culture, the drop reinterprets the spirit of individuality and identity through a distinctive camo-style shacket with interchangeable patches, designed to be a canvas for personal storytelling. Complementing the shacket are a tote bag and mug, completing a bold and collectible capsule collection.
Ayush Kalra pays homage to the tattoo scene, Vijaya Aswani captures the dynamic energy of skateboarding, Jayesh Joshi channels the freedom of the biking community, and Siddhartha Iyer brings alive the rhythm and soul of music.
Anchit Kapil, Co-founder and CEO, Crepdog Crew, said, “Subcultures shape the streets long before trends catch up. At Crepdog Crew, we’ve always built spaces—physical and creative—for the community to thrive. This shacket is our way of putting that truth on fabric—a celebration of individuality, identity, and the scenes that give cities their soul. With Jameson Connects, we’ve created more than a drop—we’ve created a canvas for the culture.”
Mo Joshi, Co-founder of Azadi Records, Culture partner for Jameson Connects, said, “Real culture grows where community thrives. Jameson Connects has always been about championing grassroots voices and giving artists a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated. This collaboration with Crepdog Crew isn’t just about merch—it’s about movement.”
The drop celebrates the power of creative collaboration through art, music, and community-first experiences.
About Jameson Connects
Powered by Jameson Ginger Ale, Jameson Connects is a community-first platform for India’s creative voices. Through verticals like Jam Pad, Jam Stage, Jam Studio, and Jam Radio, it brings together culture-shaping individuals and subcultures to collaborate, co-create, and connect.
About Azadi Records
Azadi Records is a progressive Indian music label spotlighting thought-provoking hip-hop across regional languages and subcultures. Since 2017, it has given voice to the unheard, pushing the boundaries of what Indian music can be.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Shefali Bhatia, PR Pundit Havas Red | shefali.bhatia@prpundithavasred.com | +91 9821821032
Sanjana Jhawar, PR Pundit Havas Red | sanjana.jhawar@prpundithavasred.com | +91 7023080670
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/jameson-connects–crepdog-crew-celebrate-subcultures-with-limited-edition-capsule-302472881.html
News Wire
Jameson Connects grooves to Grammy winner Anderson .Paak in Mumbai
An intimate celebration of music, culture, and community, also featured Seedhe Maut and Shekhinah
MUMBAI, India, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Music lovers in Mumbai were treated to an unforgettable evening as Jameson Connects brought its signature global experience, Distilled Sounds, to India’s cultural capital with an electrifying night of rhythm, soul, and connection. Headlining the showcase was none other than Grammy Award-winning artist Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee .Wee, who took over Famous Studios, Mumbai, for a high-voltage, electrifying up-close performance that brought unmatched energy to this thrilling chapter of Jameson Connects.
DJ Pee .Wee, the dynamic alter ego of Anderson .Paak, delivered a high-energy DJ set that showcased his impeccable taste and versatility behind the console. Known for his genre-blending sound that merges hip-hop, soul, funk, and R&B, Anderson .Paak additionally treated audiences to an intimate live performance towards the end, captivating them with his rich musicality and vibrant presence.
Adding to the evening’s vibrant soundscape was a duo who need little introduction — Seedhe Maut. Fresh off the release of their eighth project DL91 FM, the genre-defying Delhi-based icons brought their razor-sharp lyrics and explosive live energy. Joining them was South African powerhouse Shekhinah, celebrated for her soulful vocals and signature fusion of R&B and pop. Together, they formed a thrilling trifecta of artistry that embodies Jameson’s spirit of fearless creativity and community.
With each edition, Jameson Connects continues to raise the bar in crafting immersive cultural experiences that merge music, community, and creativity. Known for spotlighting boundary-breaking talent from around the world while championing local voices, the platform has become a space where global artistry meets homegrown expression. The upcoming Mumbai showcase is set to be no different-an intimate yet high-impact gathering that celebrates the spirit of connection, the power of live performance, and the magic that unfolds when diverse creative energies come together under one roof.
More than just a music event, Jameson Connects delivered a curated celebration of culture, community, and connection. From eclectic pop-ups by homegrown brands to vibrant F&B experiences and the thoughtfully curated zones, every element is designed to spark conversations and camaraderie.
Stay tuned for what’s next from Jameson Connects.
Link: https://www.instagram.com/jameson_alwaysintomixin?igsh=eGszaTBsNTV5N2Yx
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Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule
Jameson Connects & Crepdog Crew Celebrate Subcultures with Limited-Edition Capsule
Jameson Connects grooves to Grammy winner Anderson .Paak in Mumbai
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