The language of political economy, international relations and almost the entire range of social sciences remain trapped in metaphors of fear and anxiety that in turn have led to a security-centric universe. Dialogue, a critically existential encounter and an ethical attitude are ruled out. The need then is to go beyond the authoritarian texts and their 'anthropological truths' to find out how in a world rife with contentious politics, themes of dialogue, trust and accommodation can work themselves out.
