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the writer and the written

I have often asked myself the question `why do academics turn activists?’. As an answer, I have figured, that this is mostly the case, when academics begin to feel that writing is pointless, that its TRP is not as high as media or the press.

Somewhere, though, it is obvious, that such an attitude does not pay in the long-run as our students learn from the values we espouse.

the writer and the written

i have often asked myself the question `why do academics turn activists?’. as an answer, i have figured, that this is mostly the case, when academics begin to feel that writing is pointless, that its TRP is not as high as media or the press. somewhere, though, it is obvious, that such an attitude does not pay in the long-run.

The `New’ in Archaeology, Anthropology and History

Dear Friends,

It is a great puzzle how disciplines stop being old, and new versions appear. With what merits, is a burning question?

Take ethnoarchaeology for instance. When did this discipline disappear and indigenous archaeology take its place? Indigenous archaeology, an epithet emerging from Australia mainly, is a new intervention into archaeology.

Through Internet sources, it seems, that the aim here is to develop a sensitized archaeological practice in tribal or indigenous areas; a feature so far lacking in the standard practice of ethnoarchaeology.

Writing from the Indian Indian context. I would say that there are some finer distinctions to be made in this emerging field.

In the Australian context the divide between a predominantly white population and the aboriginal is obvious and evident.

When we stretch this paradigm to cover such archaeology in non-western countries, the line gets blurred – colour and ethnicty-wise.

Give this some thought. More another day.

ARCHAEOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY.

Friends,

For those of us who care, developing a relationship between the three disciplines mentioned above is absolutely essential.

I would go so far as to say that this is a transnational necessity.

It is usually the case, that only in third world, or so it would seem, that the historical background of our tribes is poorly understoodd.

With these sorts of countries still grappling with their developmental problems, the context has not arisen so far that we could really deliver the (historicasl) goods appropriately, where our tribal population is concerned.

In my forthcoming book `Indigenous Archaeology in India: Prospects for an Archaeology of the Subaltern’, as well as that in the works of some of the forefathers of Indian Archaeology, such as D.D. Kosambi, the case for a proper investigation of the tribal past has been made.

Thus the combined methods of these three social sciences, as perhaps others, is an urgent necessity.

my book, as on date, is called `Indigenous archaeology in India: Prospects for an archaeology of the Subaltern.’. 

The Interface Between Archaeology and Ancient Indian History.

There are several grounds over which there exists or should exist an interface between these two disciplines, which some times exist together under one roof (Department), and some times, seperately.

From its very inception, in the 18th c., Indian Archaeology has been more historical than anything else (see Pratap, Forthcoming “On the use of the term non-anglo archaeology”. Archaeologies. December?? 2007. Journal of the World Archaeological Congress).

However, as things stand, archaeological research in India has not developed apace with history as a discipline. Often archaeology is taught as subsets of papers on ancient Indian History, under departments of history, instead of full-fledged departments being set-up for it.

The Gender Revolution in Ancient Indian History.

At a recently concluded national seminar, of the Banaras Hindu University, the topic was Women in Dharmasastras, that is the ancient corpus of juridical literature pertaining to the mores of society from early eras of B.C.E to early eras of A.D.

For a listener, I much enjoyed hearing papers presented by eminent women social scientists as to where the Dharmasastras mention what in relation to women, and as to how that is to be interpreted. An emerging conclusion seemed to be that women were none the worse-off in ancient India.

ANCIENT INDIAN HISTORY

It is a great quandary for those working in this field as to how to take this field forward. Is going forward a must? Must knowledge grow for its own sake, an automatic, mindless activity or is there sufficient rationale for it?

In another world-wide forum, of which I am a Member, and that purposes to redifine constantly the worldwide contours of the knowledge about the past; it is held, often by academics of the affluent countries that research or advanced research the world-over (except in the developed world that is) is but a replication of the paradigms already advanced by academics of developed universities. In that appropriate forum, I have already lambasted this spurious and condescending notion that no academic worth his/her salt could possibly advance such a thesis  in their proper senses. Yet views contrary to mine do exist and are being published as a free and open debate in a forthcoming issue of the Journal ARCHAEOLOGIES. So much for the merits of free speech.

Thus it is a complex issue for those of us who are working in ancient Indian History, whether we should at all be following, less so thinking about the newer (developed) paradigms of postmodernism, postcoloniality and post-processualism.

The New Nationalisms.

India is celebrating this year the 150th anniversary of 1857, the year the first Indian War of Independence, from the British East India Company, took place. The Government has earmarked no less than 150 crore rupees to celebrate this events rounds the country.

Having sat through at least a few academic events connected with this event, variously also labelled as The Mutiny and so on, as it involved the Indian Sepoys of various British Regiments in 1857, who among others (like over-taxed peasants and landlords) rose up in revolt. The event entalied a fair degree of violence from both the sides so as to make for a very gory event, all in all.

 A question does arise in my mind: What is the purpose, beyond a simple patriotic message or gesture, of celebrating nationalisms that are invariably associated with violence, whether historically or in the modern world?

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