South Asian Coastal Heritage: Connections and Disconnections Past and Present.
The workshop focuses on the heritage of the southwestern coastal areas of India, which has historical connections to other regions across Asia dating back to at least the beginning of the common era. Over the centuries, regional and transregional alliances have facilitated material exchange and knowledge production, resulting in a rich cultural and religious heritage. But this heritage is currently facing threats from unsustainable development, intercommunal tensions, and geopolitical challenges. The workshop aims to explore how the humanities, arts and social sciences can contribute to addressing these challenges and generate positive societal impacts. All welcome!
Arts Lab Theme: Heritage, Urban Studies and Development
Date: Thursday 12 October 2023
Time: 10:00 - 17:30
Venue: St Andrews Building, Room 234 (10.00-12.30), 224 (14.00-17.30) + online
Category: Conferences, Academic events
Speaker: Including keynote by Professor Rajan Gurukkal, Kerala State Higher Education Council
The workshop focuses on the heritage of the southwestern coastal areas of India, which has historical connections to other regions across Asia dating back to at least the beginning of the common era. Over the centuries, regional and transregional alliances have facilitated material exchange and knowledge production, resulting in a rich cultural and religious heritage. But this heritage is currently facing threats from unsustainable development, intercommunal tensions, and geopolitical challenges.
The workshop aims to explore how the humanities, arts and social sciences can contribute to addressing these challenges and generate positive societal impacts.
It brings together early, mid-career, and senior scholars who will present their work-in-progress on various aspects of South Asian social history, society and politics, philosophy and science, religion, and caste. While the workshop has a particular focus on the Malabar Coast, it also covers other aspects of transregional South Asian connections and disconnections, whether in the past or the present.
The workshop's schedule includes a keynote lecture by one of India’s most distinguished social historians, Rajan Gurukkal, who is also head of Kerala’s Higher Education Council. Professor Gurukkal’s lecture will be preceded by three one-hour panels, each featuring three presentations. The event will conclude with an open round-table discussion.
To attend the workshop via Zoom, please contact ophira.gamliel@glasgow.ac.uk and john.r.davies@glasgow.ac.uk for further details.
PROGRAMME
10:00 Welcome
10:15–11:15 Panel I: Society and Politics
10:15 Indigo Blues Time Alchemy: Reflections on the recognition of the executory interest in English Contract Law (1830-1898): Dania Thomas, Glasgow
10:35 Competing youth and nation-region building: The emergence of youth festivals in post-independence India: Rajashree Raju, Tübingen
10:45 The Journalist Activism Heritage of Vakkom Moulavi: Exploring the Svadeshabhimani: Sajitha Bashir, Vakkom Moulavi Foundation Trust, Trivandrum/Washington
11:15 Break
11:30–12:30 Panel II: Science and Philosophy
11:30 Mīmāṃsā on Compositionality: Bryan Pickel, Glasgow
11:50 Elementary mathematics in late medieval/early modern Kerala: Roy Wagner, ETH Zürich
11:10 Spatial Relations in Malayalam Astronomical and Astrological Texts: Raveendran Kuniyil Binoy, ETH Zürich
12:30 Lunch Break
14:00–15:00 Panel III: Caste and Religion
14:00 The Vajrasūcī and the Vajrasūcy-Upaniṣad: On the Limits and Possibilities of Dissent in Anti-Caste Traditions: Meera Vishvanathan, Noida
14:20 The Moon-Splitting Episode in West and South Asian Arabic Sources (Hybrid): Ines Weinrich, Münster
14:40 The Moon-Splitting Episode in Malayalam Royal Chronicles: Ophira Gamliel, Glasgow
15:00 Break
15:10–16: Keynote Lecture
The Kollam Copper Plates: A New Reading
15:00 Trade and Urbanisation: Lived Experience of Uneven Communities: Professor Rajan Gurukkal, KSHEC Trivandrum
16:30 Break
16:45–17:30 Roundtable Discussion
End of Programme