The passing of Patna-based social scientist Shaibal Gupta recently got me thinking about the relationship between experts and journalists, which is a complicated one.
Many experts, particularly those in academia, use the word ‘journalistic’ in a rather disapproving way. The implication is that journalism is non-rigorous and lacking in nuances. It is a different matter that good journalists are expected to be, and are, rigorous and attentive to nuance. A more counterproductive approach by many experts is to assume that complex questions cannot be presented in a simple language. Some experts, who are not really rigorous themselves, resort to complicated writing to hide their own inadequacies. Gupta was someone who did not wear his knowledge and wisdom on his sleeve — he was generous with everyone who sought him out, as legions of journalists from all over the world would easily attest.
Intense commitment
In 2002, when I reached Patna as a reporter, he was among the first people I met. Until the last weeks of his life, he remained in touch and was a source of immense wisdom and patience. He wrote for The Hindu even from his deathbed. What drove him was not fame or attention, but an intense commitment to public communication — that an idea should not merely remain in an academic paper or a book, but must be channelled into public debates.
Gupta never lost an opportunity to meet journalists, and it was never about advancing his own standing as an expert. As his fans from around the world would vouch, he was always humble and modest enough to seek opinions and information from those who met him. “After you have finished your travels, call me,” he would tell reporters who went to cover Bihar. He would take special efforts to connect to the readers of a particular outlet. He could compare Tamil Nadu or Kerala with Bihar to make a point so that his idea is communicated well.
Considering the crisis of expertise in public debates, remembering him is important. While a section of media parades partisans and bigots as experts on one hand, on the other, most experts draw further into isolation.
Gupta did not shy away from offering a comment piece and patiently pressing for its publication. He presented his comments in a gentle and inoffensive manner while speaking and writing. Unlike many seekers of media space, Gupta came across as someone who did it all with a sense of public service.
Legitimate expertise
Expertise on hire that validates vested interests in politics and business delegitimises expertise itself. There is also the danger of media taking state authorities’ opinion as the final word on many issues, particularly in those related to national security. All this has created a vicious knowledge ecosystem that endangers democracy and civil society.
Journalists and experts must have a mutually respectful relationship. Experts must increasingly engage with the public and communicate in the language and idiom of the masses. Their failure or unwillingness to do so significantly adds to the crisis of our time.