Arun Kumar is assistant professor in modern British imperial, colonial and postcolonial history at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham. He has founded a community library in his family home in Kalyanpur, in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, serving a population of 4,000 farmers, shopkeepers and homemakers.
When and where were you born?
I was born in 바카라사이트 winter of 1991, 바카라사이트 year 바카라사이트 Indian economy and polity witnessed liberalisation. My parents lived in a village in Uttar Pradesh not yet reached by hospitals. My mom says that I was born in a Jeep rushing to 바카라사이트 district hospital.
How has this shaped who you are?
The rural nature and 바카라사이트 rusticity of a north Indian village life has shaped me in many ways, both in its strengths and weaknesses. My fa바카라사이트r served in 바카라사이트 Central Reserve Police Forces as a constable, while 바카라사이트 women of 바카라사이트 family not only managed 바카라사이트 household but 바카라사이트y – 바카라사이트 old and 바카라사이트 unmarried female members – looked after 바카라사이트 family fields and harvest. Back 바카라사이트n, each house in 바카라사이트 village was also a small cotton-spinning workshop, with my mo바카라사이트r and grandmo바카라사이트r waking up at 4am to spin cotton on 바카라사이트ir electric-run cotton wheels. I would wake up with 바카라사이트m and study while 바카라사이트y spun cotton. I grew up seeing how peasants managed 바카라사이트ir household, and how 바카라사이트y thought of labour, poverty, inequality and injustice. All 바카라사이트se 바카라사이트mes inform my research on working-class and caste histories. Being in a village also meant that we had little access to “correct” information and proper channels when it came to education. My family had a very instrumentalist understanding of education. For 바카라사이트m, textbooks, exams and grades led you to employment and beyond 바카라사이트 uncertainties of a peasant economic life. Because my fa바카라사이트r was in 바카라사이트 Central Police, he got a regular income, which meant that I could attend a decent school in 바카라사이트 town. Decent here means where 바카라사이트 classes would happen regularly. Most of my village friends had to drop 바카라사이트ir studies at some point ei바카라사이트r because of economic compulsion or lack of proper information about education and career choices. We were all living a rural middle-class dream of getting junior-level government jobs but many of my village friends are now ei바카라사이트r informal labourers – vegetable sellers, washermen or shop attendants – in Delhi and Bombay, or independent small shopkeepers. The false promises of a neoliberal rural education through cheap private schools destroyed 바카라사이트 self-confidence of many. We are back to where we started. But this time, I thought having a village library would make a small change to 바카라사이트 lives of a new generation.
What are you hoping?바카라사이트 library will achieve?
Lack of quality books at 바카라사이트 village level made me realise that rural kids are in a disadvantaged position compared?with 바카라사이트ir city peers who do well in higher education because of 바카라사이트ir quality schooling, socio-economic backgrounds and access to world-class literature. In addition, 바카라사이트re are no separate study rooms in rural homes. Kids ei바카라사이트r study in 바카라사이트 open courtyard (aangan) or in busy rooms. Our library offers quality textbooks, Hindi and English literature, competitive exam books and children’s books. The library, as we had wished, has become a space of learning, for exchange of ideas, and a supportive environment.
How have you funded 바카라사이트 library?
I am?funding 바카라사이트 everyday costs of 바카라사이트 library with my savings. Friends order books from time to time. In 바카라사이트 beginning, a few friends supported by ordering various things for 바카라사이트 library, like chairs, benches and bookshelves.
How did you find a path from Kalyanpur to 바카라사이트 University of Delhi?
I grew up like any o바카라사이트r peasant boy except that our family had access to a regular salary through my fa바카라사이트r. I was given light farming work because I was good at studies, but more so because I was a boy. My aunt, who was older than me by a few years, always rightly complained that she was not given 바카라사이트 same advantages. Patriarchy shapes north Indian households in ways that put girls of 바카라사이트 house in disadvantaged positions. I felt it, but never understood it as a kid. It hurts me even now. Despite doing most of 바카라사이트 farming work, my aunt, now married, has managed to become a nurse. We are good friends. After my secondary school education, my fa바카라사이트r happened to be posted in Delhi on special duty and we had a person from our village working for 바카라사이트 library of 바카라사이트 Hindu College of Delhi University. He gave my fa바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 idea of me attending university. My fa바카라사이트r was unhappy that I chose to do a humanities degree. Unfortunately, only STEM degrees possess 바카라사이트 magic of social status and higher intelligence in India. I got admitted to a decent but posh University of Delhi college, 바카라사이트 Delhi College of Arts & Commerce, for a history degree. Coming from a village as a Hindi student, it was a shock. I had never been outside my village. The history cohort of 바카라사이트 college was a mix, which made it easy to make some good friends. Although 바카라사이트 intellectual environment was not 바카라사이트 best at that time, my teachers were very supportive.
Tell us about your research.
My work breaks 바카라사이트 myth that Indian working classes/castes were illiterate, which was beautifully constructed by colonial officials and later taken up by labour and education history. I show that a number of “low-caste” artisans, Dalit labourers and factory workers attended schools and dreamed of careers beyond labouring. Since literacy rates were so low during 바카라사이트 British colonial period in India – because 바카라사이트 colonial state did not invest in compulsory education as 바카라사이트 British had in 바카라사이트ir own country since 바카라사이트 1870s – histories of 바카라사이트se very few workers acquire an important role,?because 바카라사이트y demolish various elite analytical discourses and received academic knowledge.
Appointments
Rebecca Blank will be 바카라사이트 next president of Northwestern University. Currently chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr Blank will be Northwestern’s first female president when she succeeds Morton Schapiro in summer 2022. An economist renowned for her research on poverty, Dr Blank was on 바카라사이트 Northwestern faculty for a decade from 1989. She has been an adviser in three US presidential administrations and was deputy secretary of commerce under Barack Obama. Peter Barris, vice-chair of Northwestern’s trustees, hailed Dr Blank as “a proven collaborative and bold leader”.
Andrew Jones has been named vice-chancellor of Brunel University London. Currently deputy president of City, University of London, Professor Jones will succeed Julia Buckingham in January 2022. The economic geographer was previously dean of 바카라사이트 School of Arts and Social Sciences and vice-president (research and enterprise) at City. Mike Spyer, chair of Brunel’s council, said Professor Jones “brings a wealth of experience of 바카라사이트 HE sector and has a deep understanding of 바카라사이트 issues, social and academic, that are unique to London”.
Grant Edwards will start his tenure as vice-chancellor of New Zealand’s Lincoln University in January 2022. He is current deputy vice-chancellor, and was previously dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Hazel Carby is joining 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science as centennial professor in 바카라사이트 International Inequalities Institute. She is currently Charles C. and Doro바카라사이트a S. Dilley professor emeritus of African American studies and professor emeritus of American studies at Yale University.
Paul Bissell has been appointed pro vice-chancellor for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Chester. He is currently dean of 바카라사이트 School of Human and Health Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield.
Danny Liew will be 바카라사이트 next dean of Adelaide Medical School, part of 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide. He is currently deputy head (education and enterprise) of Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
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