By Piyush Roy Aristotle had famously opined about there being only two kinds of stories – tragedy and comedy. Paulo Coelho added two more to argue that writers basically juggle between various combinations of four plots – a love story between two people, a love triangle, a struggle for power story and the tale of a journey or adventure. Christopher Booker in his The Seven Basic Plots (2004) had researched and revealed that everything ever written, or told on screen basically boiled down to seven plots. Bharata-muni in ancient India’s exhaustive theatre manual, the Nātyasāstra had listed 10 ki ..read more

BY ARKOTONG LONGKUMER The Hindu Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Governor of Nagaland, B.P. Acharya (left), at the inaugural function of the Hornbill festival in Kisama Heritage Village in the outskirts of Kohima on Dec. 01, 2014. – PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR IMAGE CAPTION: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Governor of Nagaland, B.P. Acharya (left), at the inaugural function of the Hornbill festival in Kisama Heritage village in the outskirts of Kohima on Dec. 01, 2014. – PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR The Naga resistance, which is as old as Indian Independence, has consistently fought for a homela ..read more

By Dhaneswar Bhoi Caste is a social reality that plays a dominant role in the life of those born in its frame. Caste secures probabilities, opportunities, and outcomes in the life of one born in the system. Particularly in Indian society it acts as the marker in society to get access or denial to resources. Its occurrences have been evident within families, governance, places of worship, and shape access to amusements, shops, markets and local government. Caste discrimination operates through the medium of sight (appearance), touch (ability to touched or be touched), sound (to be heard or list ..read more

In July 2021, the Centre for South Asian Studies hosted a symposium to showcase the research of three post-doctoral scholars working on Dalit and anti-caste thought and struggles. The talks ranged from theoretical engagement with key thinkers to empirical data on caste experiences and discrimination, in an insightful and interesting event. There was a stimulating discussion of issues relating to caste, social justice and egalitarian movements, structured around three talks from research scholars. Introduction and Welcome. Prof Roger Jeffery, University of Edinburgh B R Ambedkar on Caste and ..read more

In the wake of the recent racist attack on a student outside the University library, CSAS students have penned the following open letter. We applaud them for taking this initiative, and stand with them in condemning racism of all forms and demanding action to create safe and equal spaces. Nae Place for Racism We the students of the Centre for South Asian Studies strongly condemn the racist attack on the seventeen-year-old East Asian student on the university campus. An attack of this nature is not the first of its kind and sadly the end to them does not seem very near. The University of Edinb ..read more

As members of the Centre for South Asian Studies we, like millions around the World, have been sickened and outraged by the killing of George Floyd and the callous brutality of the violence inflicted upon him. We join in the global calls for justice, accountability and change and stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family and the wider Black Lives Matter movement. We boldly declare ‘Black Lives Matter’. We are heartened by the widespread protests that have occurred, and the spaces that these have opened up to address endemic and institutionalised racism in different contexts. As scholar ..read more

In recent weeks we have watched with unease and alarm as policy changes have threatened the secular ethos of the constitution, police have deployed excessive force in Universities and prominent academics have been arrested. Friends and colleagues of CSAS members have been detained or caught up in the protests. Accordingly, so of our students have led on an open letter of solidarity: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkMh5jRMYO_ilAU9bzFJElbcmOMcS6CNyG35c-BcwPrDdvjw/viewform?usp=sf_link We, the students and staff of the University of Edinburgh, stand in support of the nationwide protests ..read more

The first in a series of events that the CTLA project are involved in this year, A Battle for the Soul – Hidden Voices from India’s Past presents narrative snapshots of the lives of young Indian men and women, drawn from recently uncovered autobiography and written testimony. Theatre artist Annie George presents this rehearsed reading with projections, drawing on recent research at the University of Edinburgh by the CTLA project, documenting stories of personal dilemmas, faith and family conflict at the time of colonial rule in India. The reading will be followed by a discussion exploring some ..read more

By Kanchana N. Ruwanpura “Actually speaking, madam, there is nothing I can do. Sometimes the law works just like a lemon-and-spoon race.  The eviction has to take place. You can appeal later.” A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry JNU Student sit-ins; Courtesy: Dr Wilfried Swenden It is late April 2016; I had wanted to scribble some thoughts on what was supposed to be India’s finest hour in a neoliberal age under a Hindutva government after a trip to Delhi around mid-February.  As usual work pressures got in the way. Mid-February in India was a time that we, a small group of ac ..read more

The University of Edinburgh and AsiaScotland co-host Guest Speaker from Himachal Pradesh From 22nd February 2015 for two weeks, Nirmal Chandel will be hosted in Edinburgh to speak at the University of Edinburgh postgraduate placement programme for International Development, carrying out workshops with students working on gender equity and development in South Asia. She will also be meeting civil society groups working to support South Asian women in Scotland to promote understanding through mutually enriching focus groups. The aim of her visit will be to make effective connections between thes ..read more