Post-Exotic India: A New Narrative in Making
Graduate School of International Development Studies (Institute for Society & Globalisation), Roskilde and SASNET, Lund, convene
Two days Intensive PhD Workshop Wednesday 26 – Thursday 27 September
Organisers: Ravinder Kaur, Laurids Lauridsen, RUC and Staffan Lindberg, Lund University
Venue: Roskilde University
ETCS: 3 points
BACKGROUND
The 1990s economic liberalization programme in India is often seen as a sharp turning point that transformed India from an aid recipient developing nation to a fast growing global player.
In less than two decades, India has become the new Asian success story comparable to China. New global buzzwords – outsourcing, call centers – have found inextricable Indian associations. In short, India speaks and is spoken of in a new global language, the lexicon of which is derived from its historic economic growth.
The exotic – foreign, distant, mysterious and veiled – produced through the oriental gaze no longer dominates the imagery. The post-exotic of 1990s seeks to produce a new narrative of India.
As India posts 9,4 per cent growth rate for the first time in its 60 years of post-colonial history (1947-2007), a sense of national euphoria tinged with scepticism is fast gaining ground.
The reasons for euphoria are evident in the impressive statistics produced by the government that show high growth, low inflation, large flows of foreign direct investments and ever growing foreign exchange reserves.
The successive governments, since 1990’s economic liberalisation, have tried to capture the spirit of new India in catchphrases and slogans such as “Shining India” and “Incredible India” to captivate peoples imagination in India and abroad.
These media driven campaigns have been received sceptically as they gloss over uncomfortable facts of mass suicide deaths, communal violence, caste conflicts, growing rich-poor gap, social inequalities and falling levels in the human development index.
This two day intensive workshop explores the competing post-exotic narratives India through following themes:
a. processes and affects of 1991 economic liberalisation ,
b. emergence of a vocal, mobile and astute middle class,
c. global ambitions of India, and
d. the regional implications in South Asia.
Invited Speakers:
Nicholas Dirks, Columbia University
Pritam Singh, Oxford University
Thomas Blom Hansen, Amsterdam University
Staffan Lindberg, Lund University
Ravinder Kaur, Roskilde University
Srirupa Roy, Amherst, USA, SSRC New York (TBC)
Pamela Price, Oslo University
Anna Lindberg, Lund University
Arild Engelsen Ruud, Oslo University
Sten Waldmann, Uppsala University
Jørgen Dige Pedersen, Aarhus University
Structure of the workshop
The training course is structured around two elements:
Day 1: Presentations by the invited speakers, and
Day 2: Presentation of PhD-papers. The latter will take place in smaller groups. There will be made plenty of time in the programme for discussion, in plenary as well as in the small working groups. Each participant will write a 5 page paper focussing on the following issues:
– Abstract or fundamental research question.
– Specific questions (argued in relation to fundamental research question).
– Data and fieldwork strategy.
– Fieldwork techniques.
Participation requirements:
The first day of the workshop is open to all. The second part of the workshop is open to all PhD students upon application by July 15th to [email protected]. A maximum of 20 PhD students can participate in the work shop sessions. Each participant must prepare a short paper (no more than five pages), presenting her/his research design and setting, main questions regarding fieldwork and data collection techniques.
This text should be submitted to the organizers at [email protected] no later than August 15th. Ultimo August, information about working group composition as well as the different papers will be circulated to the participants. Participants in a working group are expected to have carefully read and commented upon each of the fellow participants texts. 15-20 minutes will be given for each presentation in the working groups.
Funding Possibilities:
The Graduate School appreciates that the cost of participation may be prohibitive to some students. We therefore offer two travel grants for students who would otherwise be prevented from participating in the course.
The beneficiaries will be selected on merit. Application for the travel grant should accompany the application for participation in the course and include a letter of recommendation from the supervisor.
The workshop is open to the general public. Participation is free. For registration please contact Laurids Lauridsen [email protected], Staffan Lindberg [email protected], or Ravinder Kaur [email protected].
Graduate School of International Development Studies, Roskilde University & SASNET, Lund University
Inge Jensen, Department of Society and Globalisation, Administrator of the Graduate School of International Development Studies, Building 8.2, P.O. Box 260 Trekroner, 4000 Roskilde
