AUTUMN 1999
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, USA
The Madison South Asia Conference 1999
The Madison South Asia Conference, which is organized each autumn by the Centre for South Asia of the University of Wisconsin, is arguably the most important academic event for social scientists interested in this particular geographical region. Gathering anthropologists, historians, textual students, political scientists and others from all parts of the United States and abroad, it provides for almost three days of discussion on a wide variety of subjects. In 1999, approximately 450 people attended the 28th annual conference. Regretfully, however, only a handful of Europeans and residents of South Asia were present.
By MAARTEN BAVINCK
But why Madison of all places? This spacious little Midwestern city, elected by Money magazine as the USA's No. 1 place to live, is certainly pleasant, even when as during this year's event its streets are thronged by men, women, and children dressed in the red and white garb of the local football team (luckily, the home team won). But it is small, not especially easy to reach, and its South Asia department, although of good quality, is not renowned. Why then do scholars, both those with well-earned reputations as those just starting out, gather in this particular place? What explains the number of fascinating panels, the impressive papers, and the high level of discussions? In short, what makes this such a wonderful conference to attend? The answer to this question probably does not differ from the one of why such-and-such a place in South Asia has become a religious pilgrimage centre chance, individual volitions, a particular chain of events. Seen in this light, Madison is the Madurai, the Benares, of South Asia scholarship at least for a few days a year.The 1999 South Asia Conference included no less than 75 panels, a video festival (with 16 films), four round tables, a book exhibit and a plenary session on human rights. The keynote address was delivered by Dr Ved Pratab Vaidik, journalist and chairman of the Council for Indian Foreign Policy, on the topic of Global terrorism: threat to world peace.
What about the panels? These catered to a large range of scholarly interests, including religious studies (e.g. Controversies and contested issues in Buddhist Studies), textual studies (e.g. Yuganta: reading Mahabharata as another millennium winds down), history (e.g. Financing war, trade and industry: early modern social and economic history), gender studies (e.g. National identity and the women question), political science (e.g. Perspectives of Indian polity), economics (e.g. State-private sector debate in India), and anthropology (e.g. Identity shifts across time, place, and language). However, this year's conference also displayed some biases. Geographically, attention centred on North India, with other parts of South Asia receiving considerably less attention. To my European eyes, the low incidence of panels on topics of social anthropology and contemporary development issues was also surprising. Discussions tended to be elevated and culturally oriented, thereby overlooking many of the Subcontinental population's daily concerns. But, of course, there were exceptions too, such as the interesting panel on Struggle for social justice and identity: issues of dalits and Buddhism in India.
Exaggeration
Every participant in the conference will have his or her own list of highlights. For me, being a staunch lover of South India and the Tamil language, the panel on Literary metamorphoses, Tamil and other traditions, chaired by George Hart, was a special delight. This expert panel discussed various Old Tamil literary texts, placing them in the language contexts of their time. One of the conclusions was that one simply cannot study Indian languages in isolation.
Another of my favourite panels was called Performing the political. Chaired by Sunita Mukhi of the Asia Society in New York, it considered ways in which performances such as theatre, song, or dance are used to address political issues. The fact that all of the speakers are active performers themselves gave added value to the panel. One of the 'papers' centred on two video fragments was shocking to a person accustomed to Indian gender roles. By expanding on and exaggerating a Hindi film dancer's performance, it formed a lurid commentary on the position and expectations of Indian women.
This brings me to another point. South Asia Studies in North America is fast becoming the domain of scholars who come from the region itself. Many of them have been trained, and have then chosen to work, in the United States. Their involvement has brought in new skills (such as language) and insights into the field. It also infuses many discussions with the fervour of the quest for identity with the questions these scholars have about themselves, their backgrounds, and their position in society. From the musings of armchair academics discussing 'the Other' in Indian society, conferences like this thus now also talk about 'us', the members of the diaspora. This makes them more than just academic events.
And then, finally, my own panel, entitled India's fisheries: social and ecological impact of globalization and economic development. Although this panel was 'ghosted' to the end of the conference when almost everyone had already left, it provided a unique opportunity for meeting others and for comparing notes. Hopefully we shall be able to give this initiative a follow-up in next year's South Asia Conference. For, let me be clear, that is an event I hope to attend.
The 29th Annual Conference on South Asia will take place October 13 to 15, 2000. The deadline for the submission of proposals is May 15, 2000. Further information can be procured from www.wisc.edu/southasia/conf/ *
Maarten Bavinck is attached to the University of Amsterdam.
Email: bavinck@isg.frw.uva.nl