I am an Indian writer -- in that I was born and largely educated in India -- yet most of my work has been about other countries and cultures. I am aware, therefore, of the potential charge of cultural appropriation that hangs over my head like the sword of Damocles every time I publish a book about Chinese cats, or Indonesian clerics, or in the latest instance, Japan.
Tea Leaves
The positive side of 'cultural appropriation'
Instead of being condemned, cross-cultural perspectives should be embraced
Indian students wear Japanese kimono during an event organized by the India-Japan Initiative in Mumbai in April 2005. In order to better understand the world, we need cross-cultural perspectives. © Reuters
Read Next
Latest on Tea Leaves
