Workshop, Seminar, Conference, Shivaji University, Kolhapur

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General Instructions

Important

The Conveners

Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India (SUK)

The Department of Foreign Languages & Department of Marathi

Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia (RSUH)

Faculty of International Relations, Political and Foreign Area Studies of the Institute of History and Archives

The International Centre for South Asian Studies

The International Multidisciplinary Symposium

“Open Pages in South Asian Studies - IV”, Kolhapur, India

Call for Papers for

The Theme:

The Contemporary Dynamics of South Asia - 2022

29 – 31 January, 2022

Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

Brochure

"Open Pages in the South Asian Studies" is a series of International Symposia organized by the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), Moscow, Russia in collaboration with other universities from the South Asia. The previous symposia of this series "Open Pages in South Asian Studies - I" (Moscow, 2011), "Open Pages in South Asian Studies - II" (Moscow, 2013) and “Open Pages in South Asian Studies - III (Guwahati, Assam, India, 2019) were highly successful in presenting an image of hitherto ‘unknown’ South Asia that is to be ‘discovered’ and ‘described’. To continue, we are organizing the fourth symposium in the series.

The experienced researchers and young specialists working in various academic and professional areas of language, literature, arts, history, social science and humanities are invited to participate in the Symposium.

The South Asia as a Region

The contemporary South Asia comprises of eight countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which share a common origin and history as part of the Indus Valley Civilisation. This common geographical location unites these countries culturally, socially and politically as a sub-region of Asia.

Within this region, two of the world’s great religions namely Hinduism and Buddhism originated, but there are also immense Muslim, Christian and Sikh populations and large groups of followers of various other religions as well.

Ethno-linguistic pluralism is a hallmark of the South Asian countries whereas it is also a prime factor of contentious relations among the member countries and intra-country conflicts in the form of sub-nationalist and secessionist movements. The region is also home to the problem of terrorism that has paralysed not only the human and national development, but also has derailed the mutual understanding and harmonious relations of the countries in the region. Besides these, the border conflicts among the South Asian countries make this region more volatile and strategically significant in the contemporary global order. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), mandated to integrate the countries of South Asia politically and economically, has merely failed to bring in the desired results of integration and cooperation due to these contentious relations.

The nature of the political systems in the South Asian countries makes this region even more politically and geo-strategically unique. It has a long history of democratic transition and consolidation along with periodic authoritarian and military rule in the countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Maldives. Though Bhutan is a small country in terms of its territorial size, the innovation of Gross National Happiness (GNH) has drawn considerable global attention towards this region in ensuring and promoting a culture of sustainable development and peace.

Migration across borders has been an issue of contention in the region. Consolidation of the neo-liberal economic policies across the countries in the region has brought both opportunities and challenges. In terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), many countries in the region witnessed marked progress. But, this has been accompanied by inequality both in income and in other social security domains. Growth with inequality has brought in popular outrage in the region. Informalization of labour, and growing privatization of essential services added new forms of inequality and insecurity, apart from raising concerns over ecology and common resources.

The proposed symposium, which will be interdisciplinary in nature, will endeavour to address these critical issues both from the perspective of the respective countries as well as from the perspective of South Asia as a transnational regional entity.

The issues and areas, the Symposium endeavours to deliberate are the following:

1. South Asian Countries: Common Historical Connections

Ancient, colonial and post-colonial linkages of the South Asian region in the light of new theoretical research
The impact of colonization and the processes of decolonization
South Asian regionalism and integration: trends, problems and prospects

2. Art, Language, Literature and Translation: Towards Progress and Peace

The 21st Century: New trends. New directions. New experiments.
Breaking the stereotypes. Creation and transfer of new ideas.
The languages of South Asia today in the global perspective
Language and Education
Artists / writers / poets / translators as a catalyst for progressive change and peace.

3. South Asia: Society and Culture

The cultural legacy of South Asian culture in the global context.
The challenges to Ethnic Pluralism, Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism.
Globalization and cultures in transition.
Migration and Conflicts. The Minority and Marginalized section.
Religion & Caste. Superstitions and Scientific Temper.
Nationalism & Trans-nationalism

4. Human Rights

Peoples’ Struggle for Human Rights.
The challenges to Freedom of Speech and expression.

5. Gender and Power

Peculiar forms of Patriarchy in South Asia.
Gender and class / caste / religion.
Breaking the stereotypes and struggle of women / LGBTQ+ community for human rights.
Gender Identity. Towards gender equality.

6. Environment and Sustainable Development:

Challenges and Responses of the 21st Century.

7. Economics:

South Asia and the Economy in the 21st century
Neo-liberal economic policies and South Asian Countries

8. Russia and South Asia: Relations and Interconnection.

9. South Asia between Central and Eastern Asia: Past and Present

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