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CSSS organises a talk by Priyasha Kaul

CSSS organises a talk by Priyasha Kaul

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CSSS organises a talk by Priyasha Kaul
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Centre for the Study of Social Systems

School of Social Sciences

 

CSSS Colloquium

 

Priyasha Kaul

(Assistant Professor, Ambedkar University, Delhi)

 

Will be presenting a paper on

 

Cinematic Return of the 'Imagined Diaspora': Nationalism and Politics in Post-liberalisation India

 

Date & Time: November 13, 2018 (Tuesday), 3.30 pm

Venue: CSSS Committee Room (No: 13), SSS-II

Abstract:This paper examines the mainstream discourse regarding the role of the diaspora in post-liberalisation India as read through commercially successful Bollywood cinema of the period. The paper demonstrates the significance of the shifting portrayal of the Indian diaspora in bollywood, from post- Second World War migrants to the new migrants after the 1990s, in the Indian nation- building project and its negotiations in casting out an ‘Indian’ identity, stable in its present yet shifting temporally. Using Partha Chatterjee’s framework on postcolonial nationalism along with data from interviews with Indian filmmakers, journalists and diplomats, the paper shows how mainstream bollywood cinema post-1990 has successfully employed a new imagined diaspora for mapping what the author calls the ‘new Indian modernity’ in post-liberalisation India which is reflective of India’s own ambition to raise its geo-political status in the contemporary world order. This discourse employs an imagined transnational diaspora strategically located in the capitalist Anglophone west to create an all-encompassing new Indian modernity post-liberalisationthat is transnational and materialistic in the public sphere while simultaneously being essentialised and portable, capable of establishing itself anywhere on the globe without compromising on its core Indianness. This paper re-conceptualises the identity politics between diaspora and homeland nationalism and the strategic significance of this relationship in furthering the Indian superpower dream in global politics.

Bio: Dr Priyasha Kaul is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Ambedkar University Delhi. She has previously taught at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at Bristol University (UK), London South Bank University, FLAME University, Miranda House, Hindu College (DU) and IGNOU. She has also worked on various long-term research projects for the Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship at Bristol University, Equal Opportunities Commission (UK), Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (Delhi) and the Developing Countries Research Centre at DU. Priyasha has a doctorate in sociology from Bristol University, masters degrees in sociology and management from Delhi School of Economics (DU) and Bristol University respectively, and a bachelors from Hindu College. Her wider research interests include gender, media, diaspora and migration, organizations, religion, and contemporary social change.

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.