Welcome to ZERO POINT. Home to my writing in-between professional work, meditations on living a creative life, and invitations to live your own. It’s also where I co-host a podcast called Armpit Intellectuals, promote my writing workshops, share writing prompts and discussion questions, passages from books and essays I’m reading, open-access resources, and lists of things I’ve admired.
The bio goes: Zahra Haider is a Pakistani-Canadian writer and feminist activist who grew up between Islamabad, Lahore and Dubai, studied Anthropology and Gender and Women’s Studies at York University in Toronto, and is now based in Montreal. Her work focuses on social justice, women’s rights in Pakistan, and issues pertaining to the South Asian Diaspora. She has been featured on and written for BBC, CNN, Foreign Policy, VICE, CBC, and others.
But ZERO POINT is where I’ll bring the parts of me that never make it into the serious-yawn-bio. I love reading by bodies of water. I’m an aspiring novelist. A collector of leftist posters. I have an avid interest in Urdu poetry. Can’t eat a meal without spilling on my shirt. Turned 30 this year. Recently went back to Pakistan.
So here it is. Part offering, part invitation.
❣ Zahra Haider
Why is it called ZERO POINT?
Based on the largest cloverleaf interchange in South Asia, the Zero Point Interchange, which also happens to be in my hometown Islamabad, Pakistan — and the seminal texts, Woman at Point Zero by Egyptian writer and feminist activist, Nawal El-Saadawi and Revolution at Point Zero, by Marxist feminist writer, Silvia Federici. ZERO POINT is an interchange of theory, philosophy, politics and feminism with a focus on South Asia.
Yeah, okay, but what will the newsletters/podcast be about?
Philosophy, political theory, psychoanalysis, feminism, South Asia.
But also, possibly: influential South Asian intellectuals and activists, love and relationships, opinions on cities and their infrastructures, a lot of critical thinking on issues across South Asia but with a special focus on Pakistan… Who knows what else. What’s really exciting about the newsletter and podcast form is that it allows for experiments, and that it can grow organically from being in conversation with the ZERO POINT community.
Who is ZERO POINT for?
Anyone with a deep interest in social justice, feminisms, philosophy.
Anyone interested in learning more about prolific historical figures and theories pertinent and relevant to the Indian subcontinent and beyond.
Anyone who wants to receive occasional writing prompts and other invitations such as writing workshops and book clubs.
People who don’t have a lot of time but want to connect with a curated paragraph or impactful quotes derived and cited from academic essays.
Anyone who is tired of doom scrolling and wants to read thoughtful content that doesn’t spam the inbox. My goal is to make ZERO POINT insightful.
What does a paid subscription offer?
ZERO POINT is a reader supported publication and subscriptions make this offering possible. Paid subscriptions (about the price of a latte each month) will give access to the archive, as all issues go behind a paywall after 2 weeks. Paid subscribers can also submit letters to the ‘discussion column’ - a column where I respond to the questions readers are sitting with. They also have chance to join in on the occasional Book Club discussions. As ZERO POINT continues to evolve, there will be more perks for members.
Complimentary subscriptions are available for those who need. Inform us by subscribing and responding to the initial email.
With love and in solidarity,
Zahra Haider
