SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Newsletter 24:

12 February 2003

SASNET News:

• SASNET board decisions on priorities and staff for the coming years
The SASNET board at its third meeting on 28 January 2003 decided upon the priorities in SASNET’s work during the period 2003-05, and the budget for 2003. The board also approved the distribution of planning grants, which had been decided upon by the Reference group earlier the same day. Furthermore the board decided to reappoint Lars Eklund as SASNET webmaster/programme secretary for the period 2004-05, and suggest to the vice-chancellor of Lund University that Staffan Lindberg be reappointed SASNET director/co-ordinator for the period 2004-06.
For a full report read the minutes from the board meeting (as a pdf-file).

• SASNET Reference group of South Asian researchers established
The SASNET board at its meeting on 28 January 2003 also decided to appoint Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta, Dept. of Paediatrics, Agha Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan; Dr. Rita Afsar, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Dr. Deepak Malik, Faculty of Commerce, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India; Prof. R. Indira, Dept. of Sociology, University of Mysore, India; Prof. Kumudu Wijewardena, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (SJP), Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Dr. Bipin Adhikari, co-ordinator, Laws of Nepal, Kathmandu, to form a reference group of South Asian researchers whom the root node and the board will consult about SASNET’s aims and activities.

• Planning Grants distributed to 8 projects/programmes.
A total number of 19 applications for programmes/projects were delivered for consideration in the latest round for SASNET planning grants. Eight projects, seven related to research and one for education, were selected by the SASNET Reference group (consisting of three eminent Nordic South Asia scholars) to receive grants. The total amount distributed was 436 000 SEK. See the full list of the projects.
On the same page is also found all other projects that have been given SASNET grants in the earlier rounds.

• Applications for the next round of SASNET planning grants
are now invited. Closing date for applications is 15 June, 2003. More information.

• Panels suggestions welcome for the 18th EASAS conference in 2004
SASNET will arrange the 18th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, which will take place at Lund University, Sweden, 6–9 July 2004. Scholars engaged in research and teaching concerning South Asia with regard to all periods and fields of study are welcome to take part in the conference. SASNET organises the conference on behalf of the European Association for South Asian Studies, EASAS. Suggestions for panels should be delivered before 30 June, 2003. Read the announcement for the conference.

• Masters course in South Asian studies at Lund University
SASNET is actively assisting the setting-up of a 60 credits Masters Course (Magisterutbildning) in Asian Studies that will start at Lund University in the Fall 2003. The course will have two separate tracks, one for East and South East Asian studies, and the other for South Asian studies. The courses are currently planned by teachers and researchers in the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences (assisted by SASNET), in collaboration with the Centre for East and South East Asian Studies at Lund University. Deadline for applications to the courses is 15 April, 2003. More information.

• Use SASNET’s advanced search function
An advanced search function was created for SASNET last year by Netlab at Lund University. It provides for a full text search not only to our own web site, but also to all the pages we link up to, in two steps (at present that means more than 15 000 web pages). Therefore our engine is most useful for searching material specifically connected to South Asia. It is found at http://www.sasnet.lu.se/searchf.html

Community News:

• Thesis by Ram Gupta on second-generation Hindus in Oslo
Ram Gupta, Dept of History of Religion, University of Oslo, Norway (and webmaster of Nofsa-Net), recently presented his hovedfag thesis (M.Phil. degree), on ”A shift in Dharma – changes in conceptualisations of faith among second-generation Hindus in Oslo”. More information, with a possibility to download the complete thesis.

• Dissertation on integration and displacement in Sri Lanka
Cand. polit. Cathrine Brun from the Dept of Geography, University of Trondheim, Norway, defended her doctoral thesis on ”Finding a place. Local integration and protracted displacement in Sri Lanka”, Friday 31 January 2003. The day before she held her trial lecture on ”Forced migrants, refugees or IDPs? Consequences of labelling on identity formation and entitlements in Sri Lanka”. More information on the dissertation.

• Chair Professorship in Indian Religions to be established at Lund University
The Board of Humanities and Theology at Lund University has decided to fully fund a new Chair Professorship in Indian Religions from this year, 2003. The position will be announced within a short while.

• Proposals for Asia-Europe workshops welcome
The Strategic Alliance for Asian Studies and The Asia-Europe Foundation welcome proposals for workshops to take place in 2003/2004 on themes of common interest to both Asia and Europe. Workshop proposals should be received by the secretariat of the Asia-Europe Workshop Series no later than 1 March 2003. Six up to nine workshop proposals will be selected for realization between September 2003 and September 2004. The received proposals will be refereed by a joint Europe-Asia Selection Committee and, when necessary, by external reviewers. Financial support consists of a contribution to travel and accommodation costs up to a maximum of USD 15,000 per workshop.

• Working paper on Asian models of agricultural development
A Working paper on ”Asian models of agricultural development and their relevance for Africa” (February 2002), by Göran Djurfeldt and Magnus Jirström, Departments of Sociology, and Social and Economic Geography, Lund University, is now available. Go for it (pdf-file)

• Asiapeace discussion forum in favour of Gandhi memorial day
The international Internet discussion group Asiapeace, moderated by Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Dept of Political Science, Stockholm University, urges in a proposal ”the peace-loving peoples of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh” to close ranks and together demand from their governments that 30 January be declared ‘The South Asian Brotherhood Day Against Fascism’. On that day in 1948 Mahatma Gandhi was assasinated by Hindu communalists. In the proposal, that was simultaneously published in leading newspapers of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on 30 January 2003, Asiapeace states that ”South Asia now needs to go back to the high standards of non-violence and communal harmony that Gandhi established”. Read the proposal.

• Key papers from the Development Studies conference available
A conference on Swedish Development Studies research, named ”Fattiga och rika. Aktuell utvecklingsforskning och dess villkor i Sverige” was organised by Sida/SAREC and Lund University on 9–11 January 2003. The conditions for development research in Sweden was thoroughly discussed, and a large number of Swedish researchers presented their projects/programmes during the extremely fruitful conference. Several of the projects are related to South Asia. See SASNET’s list of these, most of them accompanied by abstracts.
We are also happy to present papers presented by two of the key speakers:
• Professor Barbara Harriss-White on ”Unruly and Informal Globalisation and its Impact on Development: A Background Note”. (Word document). • Professor Keith Griffin on ”Economic Globalisation and Institutions of Global Governance” (Word document).

Vacant research positions/fellowships

• Asian Development Bank offers internships
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) offers MA and PhD students registered in NIAS ”Support Programme for Asian Studies (SUPRA)” the opportunity to apply through NIAS for a two-month (July-August) summer 2003 internship with the Bank at its headquarters in Manila, Philippines. Applications are considered only for the specific positions that ADB makes available each summer, usually for 10 students. Official deadline was 31 January, 2003. More information.

• Postdoctoral fellows invited to University of Washington
The University of Washington, Seattle, announces three AY postdoctoral fellows/teaching associates in Asian studies to begin 16 September 2003. The successful candidates, in addition to pursuing individual research, will teach courses as part of the University’s Undergraduate Asian Studies Initiative. Candidates in all disciplines and regional specialties will be considered, but South Asian civilizations/history is a favoured subject. Last date for applications: 7 March 2003.

• NIAS invites externally funded researchers
The Nordic Institute for Asian Studies in Copenhagen, Denmark, offers a chance for externally funded researchers, who should be scholars on contemporary Asia, to apply for a paid sabbatical leave to base themselves at NIAS in Copenhagen, where excellent research facilities are available. More information.

• NIAS Contact Scholarships for Graduate Students
The Nordic Institute for Asian Studies offer scholarships designed to make NIAS‚ library and other resources accessible to graduate students in the Nordic countries. A scholarship covers inexpensive travel to and from Copenhagen and accommodation in a NIAS room at Nordisk Kollegium, with full board for a period of two weeks. It must be noted that because only one room at the Nordisk Kollegium is available for this scholarship programme, stays are arranged subject to a time schedule administered by NIAS.
Monday 7 April 2003 is the closing date for applications for scholarships during the period May-June and August-September 2003.

• NIAS Guest Researcher Scholarships
Senior researchers and postgraduate students based in the Nordic countries are offered scholarships, giving an opportunity to work at NIAS as an affiliated researcher for 2 or 4 weeks. A scholarship includes inexpensive travel to and from Copenhagen and accommodation with full board in a NIAS room at Nordisk Kollegium. The guest researcher enjoys full access to the Institute’s library services and research tools, computer facilities, contact networks and scholarly environment.
Monday 7 April 2003 is the closing date for applications for scholarships during the period May–June and August–September 2003.

Conferences and courses

• A conference on ”Changing India” (Indien im Umbruch) i arranged by the German Hanns Seidel foundation, München, 17–19 February 2003. The conference is arranged in collaboration with the Dept of Political Science, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg. Among the speakers are found Prof Sumit Ganguly, Centre for Asian Studies, University of Texas, Austin, who lectures on ”Domestic consequences of of the Kashmir crisis”; Dr Saradindu Mukherje, Delhi University, who lectures on ”India’s governability – the case of Bihar”; and Dr. Christian Wagner, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin, who lectures on ”The communist movement in India”. Venue: Bildungszentrum, Wildbad Kreuth, Bayern, Germany. Registration before 12 February, by sending a mail to Anmeldung-AK@hss.de.
More information.

• Tromsø Conference on the Rehabilitation process in North-Eastern Sri Lanka
A one-day conference on ”Peace, Development and Rehabilitation in North-Eastern Sri Lanka” will be arranged by the Centre for Peace Studies, University of Tromsø, Norway, on Friday 28 February 2003, 8.00–18.00. Venue: Room E-0101, Faculty of Humanities. The conference includes lectures by Dr. Augustine Soosai Siluvaithasan, University of Jaffna, on ”Impediments in Implementing the Peace Process in North Eastern Sri Lanka”, and PhD candidate Camilla Orjuela, PADRIGU, Göteborg University, on ”The Peace Process in Sri Lanka”, as well as a presentation by Jens Revold, Norwegian Fisheries College, on “The rehabilitation of the Fisheries in the Jaffna region – the role of a Norwegian university”.

• A Symposium on ”International Health Programmes in South Asia – A Reappraisal” is held in London, U.K, on Friday 7 March 2003. The symposium is organized by the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine, University College London. Among the speakers are found Dr Niels Brimnes, Aarhus University, Denmark, who will talk on ”The Scandinavian Aid Programmes and TB Control in South Asia, 1950-60”; Ms Sunniva Engh, Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, Oxford, who will talk on ”Scandinavian Aid to India's Family Planning Programme”; and Prof Kalinga Tudor Silva, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, who will talk on ”Health and Social Welfare in British Ceylon: The role of external interventions”. Venue: Wellcome Building, 183 Euston Rd, London. Registration deadline: 26 February.

• Panels on Partition; UP Politics; and Gender & Diaspora, at BASAS conference
The British Association for South Asian Studies, BASAS, arranges its annual conference 7–9 April, 2003, at Balliol College, Broad Street, University of Oxford. The panels include such issues as: • Partition: Refugees, Resettlement and Rehabilitation; • Contemporary Society and Politics in Uttar Pradesh; • Gender and the South Asian Diaspora; and • Economic Liberalisation, labour and politics. More information.

• Seminar on ”Religious Mobilisation and Organised Violence”
A two days seminar on ”Religious Mobilisation and Organised Violence in Contemporary South Asia” will be arranged for Nordic PhD candidates in Roskilde, Denmark, 3–4 April 2003. The seminar is aranged by the Graduate School of International Development Studies, Roskilde University Centre. Deadline for paper submission 15 February, 2003. More information.

• Conference in Finland on Inequality, Poverty and Human Well-Being
A conference on ”Inequality, Poverty and Human Well-Being” is held at Helsinki, Finland 30–31 May 2003. It is arranged by WIDER, World Institute for Development Research, United Nations University. Venue: Marina Congress Center, Katajanokanlaituri 6, Helsinki. More information.

• International Workshop on Restructuring of Old Industrial Areas in Asia
An International Workshop on ”The Restructuring of Old Industrial Areas in Europe and Asia” is arranged in Bonn, Germany, 11–12 July 2003, by the Dept of Geography, University of Bonn. The workshop is sponsored by the Asia-Europe Foundation/Asia Alliance Grant, which means that travel and accommodation costs of presenters of accepted papers will be fully covered. Deadline for the receipt of abstracts: 1 February, deadline for submission of workshop papers: 1 June 2003. More information.

• 12th World Sanskrit Conference in Helsinki in July
The 12th World Sanskrit Conference will be held in Helsinki, Finland, 14–18 July, 2003. The conference is organized by the International Association of Sanskrit Studies, and the Dept of Indology, Institute for Asian and African Studies, University of Helsinki. Closing date for registration is 31 March 2003.

• Conference on Devotional Literatures in Indo-Aryan Languages
The Ninth International Conference on Early Devotional Literatures in New Indo-Aryan Languages is held 23–26 July 2003, at the Dept of Modern South Asian Studies, South Asia Institute, University Of Heidelberg. This year’s theme is ”Bhakti in Current Research 2001-2003”. More information.

• International conference on Global Environmental Change at Lund University
A conference on ”World System History and Global Environmental Change” is arranged by the Human Ecology Division, Lund University, Sweden, 19–22 September 2003. The conference brings together key International scholars from the social, historical, geographical and environmental sciences, in an effort to broaden our view of the ecological dimension of global, economic processes in a long-term, historical perspective. Some papers deal with South Asia related research: Prof Paul Sinclair, Dept of Archeology, Uppsala University, will speak on ”Africa and the Indian Ocean 1000 BC to 1500 AD”, Simron Singh, University of Vienna, will speak on ”In the Sea of Influence: The Emergence of the World System in the Nicobar Islands”, and Jyoti Parikh, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, New Delhi, India, will speak on ”Deprivation of Poor due to Loss of Common Property Resource Base”.

• Conference on Sustainable Landfill Management at Chennai
An International conference on Sustainable Landfill Management is held 3–5 December 2003, at Chennai, India. The conference, which provides a forum to share ideas and experiences in the field of solid waste management in Asia, is organised by the Centre for Environmental Studies (CES), Anna University, Chennai; in association with the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand; and supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida. It should also provide a platform to disseminate the findings of an on-going Asian Regional Research Project funded by Sida. Closing date for registrations: 30 July 2003.

• Conference on Language, Consciousness and Culture at Kolkata
An International Interdisciplinary Conference on ”Language, Consciousness and Culture: East West Perspectives” will be arranged at Kolkata, India, 3–6 January, 2004. The conference is organized by the Society of Indian Philosophy & Religion. Closing date for submission of abstracts is 5 May 2003.

• More conferences connected to South Asian studies, se SASNET’s page, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/conferences.html

Important lectures and workshops

• SASNET lecture on the Bhutan refugee problem
Dr. Rajesh Kharat, political scientist from the Department of Civics & Politics, University of Mumbai, holds a SASNET Guest Lecture on ”The Bhutan Refugee Problem”, Thursday 13 February, 14–16. Venue: International Office, Lund University, Conference room, Gamla Kirurgen, Sandgatan 3, first floor. Dr. Kharat is an expert on Bhutan, Tibet, the refugee situation in the region, and more generally about the political and economic cooperation in South Asia. In 1999 he published the book ”Bhutan in SAARC: Role of a Small State in a Regional Alliance”.

• Seminar talk by Ashok Nath on the effects of tourism in Zanskar
PhD candidate Ashok Nath, Dept of Human Geography, Södertörn University College, Huddinge holds a lunch seminar talk on ”Eco-tourism and sustainability. A look at Zanskar – the highest mountain kingdom in the Himalayas, Friday 14 February, 12.00–13.30. Venue: Sida, La Plata, 1 floor,Sveavägen 20, Stockholm.

• Seminar on Afghanistan on Saturday 15 February in Stockholm
Dr. Sima Samar, director of the Afghan Human Rights Commission (and before that Minister for Women's Affairs) is coming to Stockholm. She will take part in a Seminar on Afghanistan on Saturday 15 February, from 10.30, and hold a speech on ”Afghanistan, Women, and Human Rights”. The seminar is arranged by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. Jamie Doran will present and show his film on ”The Massacre in Mazar” during the seminar, and speeches will also be given by Peter Hjukström, Thomas Hammarberg, Sverker Åström, Iqbal Khattak, and others. Venue: Zäta-salen, ABF-huset, Sveavägen, Stockholm.

• Lunch seminar with Sima Samar in Stockholm
The Olof Palme International Center in collaboration with ABF arranges a lunch seminar with Dr. Sima Samar on Monday 17 February, 12.00–13.30. Venue: ABF-huset, Sveavägen 41, Stockholm.

• Pakistani journalist reports on the war in Afghanistan
The Pakistani journalist Iqbal Khattak lectures on ”The Coverage of the War in Afghanistan – with a Local Perspective”, in Stockholm on Monday 17 February, 18.00. The seminar is arranged by the Swedish section of Reporters Without Borders (Reportrar utan gränser), and Khattak will tell about his experiences from the reporting on Afghanistan after the American invasion in October 2001. Venue: Café Zenit, Sveavägen 20, Stockholm.

• Marina Ottaway participates in Uppsala conference/workshop
A conference/workshop on ”Democracy as actual practice: What does democracy really bring?” is arranged by the Collegium of Development Studies at Uppsala University in collaboration with Sida on 12–13 March 2003. Among the participants are Marina Ottaway from the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Washington, DC. Venue: Missionskyrkan, S:t Olofsgatan 40, Uppsala. Registration before 15 February.

• Michael Fredholm lectures on the security policy in Afghanistan
The Centre for Pacific Asia Studies (CPAS), Stockholm University, arranges a public lecture Wednesday 5 March, 15–17, on ”Holy Wars and Unholy Alliances: Security Policy in Afghanistan and Central Asia”. Lecturer: Michael Fredholm, analyst on security issues, Forum for Central Asian Studies (FoCAS). Venue: Lecture hall, Dept of Oriental Languages, Kräftriket, House 4 (previously Roslagsvägen 101), Stockholm.

• Danish one-day conference on Global development
The Danich Development organisation Ibis, along with the youth organisation of Socialistisk Folkeparti, arranges a one-day conference in Copenhagen on ”The Developing countries and Global Development”, Saturday 15 March 2003, 12–18.30. Venue: Hellig Kors Skole, Skyttegade 1, Nørrebro Copenhagen. Report before 5 March to Torben Kastrup, who also provides more information.

• Kathak Malla lectures on the current political situation in Nepal
The Centre for Pacific Asia Studies (CPAS), Stockholm University, arranges a public lecture Wednesday 19 March, 15–17, on ”The Current Political Situation in Nepal”. Lecturer: PhD Candidate Kathak Malla, Dept of Law, Stockholm University. Venue: Lecture hall, Dept of Oriental Languages, Kräftriket, House 4 (previously Roslagsvägen 101), Stockholm.

Summer Schools

• Contemporary India – a Summer Program in India
The board of the Nordic Center in India announces a four-week summer program in July 2003, on the topic of Contemporary India. The program will consist of lectures and field trips organized by the Study in India Program at the University of Hyderabad in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The deadline for applications will soon be announced.

• The 7th Summer Program in Punjab Studies
will be held at Chandigarh, India, 6 July – 16 August 2003. The program, open to both graduate and undergraduate students, will provide six weeks of instruction in Punjab Studies, including Punjabi teaching (50 hours), and history and culture of the region (90 hours). Application deadline is 28 February 2003, and the selection process will be completed by 10 March. More information.

News on courses and education

• Indian students forum created in Sweden
An Indian Students Forum has recently been established in Sweden by students at KTH, Stockholm. The association is intended for Indian academics living in Sweden.

• Master’s Programme in South Asian Studies at Uppsala University
A new 60 credits (90 ECTS credits) interdisciplinary Master’s Programme in South Asian Studies – Cultural Pluralism, Political Institutions and Socio-economic Processes, starts at Uppsala University in September 2003. The three semesters programme, located within the disciplinary domain of Arts and Sciences, brings together the disciplines of Indology, Political Science, History, Religion, Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology, Economics, and Peace and Conflict Research. Teachers come from all the disciplines.
The curriculum emphasises modern and current political, economic and cultural problematics, but studies of a regional language is also integrated in the programme; courses in Hindi and Tamil are offered. Application deadline for students with non-Swedish degrees is 15 February 2003, and for students with Swedish degrees 15 April 2003. More information.

• Former South Asian Studies programme integrated with Hindi courses
An 80 credits South Asian Studies programme with a interdisciplinary approach started at the Dept of Asian and African Languages already in the Fall 2001. More information on this programme, whose courses during the Spring 2003 are run in integration with the Hindi studies at the same department. Part of the instruction will be held at the Landour Language School at Mussoorie, India.
This South Asian Studies programme will however be replaced by the above-mentioned Master's Programme in 2003.

• Courses in Indology, Tamil, Hindi, and Baluchi at Uppsala University
The Dept of Asian and African Languages every year offers courses in Indology, and Indian languages (Hindi and Tamil). More information on Indology (The B-level course in Indology and Tamil are running during the Spring 2003).
• Besides the B- and D-level courses in Hindi described above a 10 credits Internet based course in Hindi is also running during the Spring 2003.
• Pashto and Baluchi are sometimes taught in the same department, at the section for Iranian languages. During the Spring 2003 a B level course in Baluchi is running.

Library news

• SPARC announces partnership with non-profit Review of Economic Theory
SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) is a worldwide alliance of research institutions, libraries and organizations that encourages competition in the scholarly communications market. SPARC introduces new solutions to scientific journal publishing, facilitates the use of technology to expand access, and partners with publishers that bring top-quality low-cost research to a greater audience. SPARC strives to return science to scientists. More information on SPARC.
– On 6 February 2003 SPARC announced its partnership with The Review of Economic Theory (RET), a new journal published by the nonprofit, U.K.-based ELectronic Society for Social Scientists (ELSSS). The partnership marks SPARC's entrance into the social sciences, a field increasingly plagued by the same high commercial journal prices and lack of alternative options as the disciplines of science, technology, and medicine (STM). The Review of Economic Theory competes with the commercial Journal of Economic Theory, which is published at an annual subscription rate in North America of US $2,228. By contrast, institutional subscriptions to ELSSS' RET will cost US $350.

New and updated items on SASNET web site

• More Swedish departments where research on South Asia is going on:
The list of research environments at Swedish universities, presented by SASNET, is constantly updated. The full list now includes more than 80 departments. Go to the presentation page, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/environment.html.

• Several new articles recommended for reading
Look at http://www.sasnet.lu.se/recreading.html for suggestions on interesting new articles on South Asia in International media. Many new items added, especially on Pakistan, India, and Nepal.

• Useful information before travelling to South Asia
This page has lots of useful information, and is constantly updated. http://www.sasnet.lu.se/travelling.html. Here you find, among other things like currency converter, World time, and Asian maps:

– Links to Swedish Foreign Office’s Recommendations about travelling to different countries. At present (February 2003) the Swedish Foreign Office advises against all travelling to Afghanistan; Nepal; Pakistan; and specific states of India (Jammu och Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, and the western parts of Rajasthan)
– Links to the Brittish Foreign & Commonwealth Office, which similarly gives advise on safety aspects on travelling to all countries. The Brittish recommendations differ somewhat from those issued by the Swedish Foreign Office, in that they do not rule out travelling to Nepal at all; as well as maing essential (not tourist) visits to Pakistan and safe parts of Kabul city (Afghanistan). Regarding India the Brittish advise against travelling only to one state, Jammu & Kashmir (except Ladakh); and besides that only against the border regions of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Ladakh. On the other hand the Brittish still advise against travelling to the North and East parts of Sri Lanka, unless as travelling with an international agency or NGO.
– Visa rules for Swedish citizens intending to visit foreign countries
– Visa rules for foreigners intending to visit Sweden
– Swedish Embassies in South Asia
– Information on Schengen Visa
– South Asian embassies in Sweden (or in some cases, the closest diplomatic representation outside Sweden)
– South Asian Airlines
– Swedish travel agencies specialised on South Asia destinations
– Friendship Societies, now including Afghanistansolidaritet, Svensk-Indiska föreningen, Sweden Nepal Society, and Sri Lanka Association in Sweden.

Cultural Events connected to South Asia in Scandinavia

• 3 X Afghanistan, Three photographers, Three meetings, Three decades
An exhibition of photos taken in Afghanistan by Kärstin Stiege, Maria Söderberg, and Eva Wernelid, is shown until May 2003, at Svenska Rädda Barnen, Torsgatan 4, Stockholm.

• Indien.nu is a new ambitious Swedish web site
giving information on India related activities, concerts, film shows, restaurants, shops etc. in Sweden. Go for its activities page!

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       Best regards

               Staffan Lindberg           Lars Eklund

    SASNET/ Swedish South Asian Studies Network

SASNET is a national network for research, education, and information about South Asia, based at Lund University. The aim is to encourage and promote an open and dynamic networking process, in which Swedish researchers co-operate with researchers in South Asia and globally.
The network is open to all sciences. Priority is given to co-operation between disciplines and across faculties, as well as institutions in the Nordic countries and in South Asia. The basic idea is that South Asian studies will be most fruitfully pursued in co-operation between researchers, working in different institutions with a solid base in their mother disciplines.
The network is financed by Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) and by Lund University.

Postal address: SASNET – Swedish South Asian Studies Network, International Office,
Lund University, P O Box 117, S-221 00 Lund
Visiting address: Gamla Kirurgen, Sandgatan 3, first floor, room no. 230
Phone: + 46 46 222 73 40
Fax: + 46 46 222 96 65
E-mail: sasnet@sasnet.lu.se
Web site: http://www.sasnet.lu.se

Staff: Staffan Lindberg, director/co-ordinator &
           Lars Eklund, webmaster/programme secretary