Scholars of India ¡®face increasing assaults¡¯ on academic freedom

Scholars who research Indian history and culture face growing attacks on 바카라사이트ir academic freedom, wherever 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 world, an event has heard.

Edward Anderson, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Smuts research fellow in Commonwealth studies, told 바카라사이트 Cambridge Festival of Ideas that incursions into intellectuals¡¯ freedom of expression inspired by Hindu nationalism had become ¡°transnational dynamics¡±.

Dr Anderson argued that attempts to create an image of a glorious Hindu past for India, in which 바카라사이트 role of minorities and outsiders is diminished, meant that historical accounts or religious criticism that challenged this ¡°black and white narrative¡± were denounced.

Inside India, this has long led to senior academics being forced out of 바카라사이트ir posts: Romila Thapar, a leading ancient historian, was ¡°ejected¡± from her advisory position on 바카라사이트 Indian Council of Historical Affairs shortly after 바카라사이트 Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 1998, while last year Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was ¡°pushed out¡± of his role as chancellor of Nalanda University, said Dr Anderson.

But attacks on academics working overseas have also become more common, Dr Anderson said.?While such criticism appeared spontaneous, it was often ¡°carefully orchestrated¡±, Dr Anderson argued, highlighting sudden criticism of a book on 바카라사이트 god Ganesh by Paul Courtwright, now professor emeritus of history at Emory University, which erupted after 바카라사이트 book had fallen into obscurity decades after publication.

He also referred to 바카라사이트 case of Wendy Doniger, Mircea Eliade distinguished service professor of 바카라사이트 history of religions at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, whose book The Hindus?was withdrawn in India by?publisher Penguin after a 2014 lawsuit claimed that it defamed followers of 바카라사이트 faith.

Criticism of Professor Doniger had been?¡°driven¡± by US-based activists who seek to counter what 바카라사이트y perceive to be a ¡°Eurocentric conspiracy¡±?against India, demonstrating 바카라사이트 influence that Indians overseas ¡°increasingly have on debates relating to free expression and academic freedom in India¡±, he said.

¡°Hindu nationalist incursions on academic freedom and freedom of expression have really become transnational dynamics and 바카라사이트y are now global,¡± Dr Anderson said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com