SASNET: Newsletter 25

• New SASNET information folder available on the Internet

• Follow-up seminars for PhD students/researchers in Stockholm and Uppsala
As a follow-up on the discussions that emerged at SASNET’s symposium for South Asia oriented PhD students in Marstrand in October 2002 (read the reports) Staffan Lindberg and Lars Eklund from SASNET will visit Stockholm and Uppsala in May 2003, and have local meetings with researchers, teachers and students. In Stockholm a call has been given to interested persons at the Karolinska Institutet Medical University, KTH, and Stockholm University, for an intercurricular meeting on Wednesday 14 May, 16–18. Venue: Rockefeller room, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 11, Stockholm. In Uppsala the Collegium for Development Studies is going to invite PhD students, supervisors, and teachers/researchers for a full day follow-up seminar, with an introduction by Staffan Lindberg and Lars Eklund, on Friday 16 May 2003. More information on this will appear later.

Dr. Rajesh Kharat, political scientist from the Department of Civics & Politics, University of Mumbai, held a SASNET Guest Lecture on ”The Bhutan Refugee Problem”, Thursday 13 February, at the International Office, Lund University. Dr. Kharat (photo to the right) is a qualified 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”.

• Staffan Lindberg lectured at seminar on ”Forum Asia: High time for business in India”
The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a seminar for increased Indo-Swedish business relations in Stockholm on 12 February 2003, with 150 representatives from the government, the business community, and Swedish universities. SASNET Director Staffan Lindberg held a speech at the occasion on ”Economics, politics and cultural codes: What does Hindu nationalism mean for India’s development?”. This seminar followed the initiative taken last year by the Indian ambassador to Sweden, Ms. Chitra Naryanan, who organised a meeting between Indian and Swedish businessmen in Stockholm on 7 October 2002 (read SASNET’s report on this).

• SASNET represented at official meeting in New Delhi
The Swedish government is now keen to continue its efforts to promote Swedish business and culture in India, and an official government-business delegation, led by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Leif Pagrotsky, will visit New Delhi and Bangalore 1–4 April 2003. On 1 April, there will be a government commission meeting between India and Sweden dealing with economical, technical, and scientific co-operation. SASNET’s activities will be presented to the commission by our Masters programme co-ordinator, Jan Magnusson, who happens to be in India at the time.

• 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.

• 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

• Fruitful panel discussion on the future for Swedish development studies research
Representatives from the research councils, Sida, and the Swedish universities participated in a fruitful panel discussion on the future for Swedish development studies research at the last day of the conference on Swedish Development Studies research (”Fattiga och rika. Aktuell utvecklingsforskning och dess villkor i Sverige”) at Lund University 9–11 January 2003.
A summary of panel number 2, which was called ”Goda råd är dyra – utvecklingsforskningens organisation och finansiering” (Good advises are costly – how to organize and finance development studies research), has afterwards been prepared by SASNET’s Staffan Lindberg. Read the summary report! (in Swedish only)

• New Director for the Nordic Centre in India

• New seminar group dealing with International Relations issues formed at Stockholm University

• Honorary doctorate to Prof Gita Sen at Karolinska Institutet
Gita Sen, Sir Ratan Tata Chair Professor of Economics and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, India, and a well known researcher on Equity, gender and health, will become Doctor Honoris Causa at the Karolinska Institutet Medical University, Stockholm, at a function on 16 May 2003. She had been suggested for the honorary position by the Dept of Public Health Sciences, Division of International Health (IHCAR), at Karolinska.

• Dissertation by Malin Arvidsson on NGOs in Bangladesh
Malin Arvidsson from the Dept of Sociology, Lund University, defended her dissertation on ”Demanding Values. Participation, Empowerment, and NGOs in Bangladesh”, on Friday 14 March 2003. Faculty opponent was Dr. David Lewis, London School of Economics, Centre for Civil Society. Read abstract of the dissertation.

• Norwegian disssertation on Amartya Sen’s theories in practice
Dan Banik at the Dept of Political Science, University of Oslo, defended his doctoral thesis on ”Democracy, drought and starvation in India: Testing (Amartya) Sen in theory and practice”, based on experiences from Kalahandi, Orissa, India, on Sunday 9 March 2003. Faculty opponents were Prof James C. Scott, Sterling Professor of Political Science and Anthropology, Yale University, U.S.; and Prof Barbara Harriss-White, University Professor of Development Studies, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University, U.K. Read abstract of the dissertation.

• Applications invited for Networking grants
Sida/SAREC invites applications for Networking grants from institutions interested in building networks around either of two themes:
1) Development and globalisation; and
2) Gender and development. Closing date for applications: 23 April, 2003.

• Applications invited for second Asian–Swedish Research partnership programme
Sida and the Swedish Research Council now launches the second round of the Swedish Research Links programmes, first initiated in 2002. Within the framework of Swedish Research Links the Asian–Swedish Research partnership programme aims specifically to stimulate contacts between Swedish researchers and researchers in Asia. Deadline for submission of applications regarding 2004: Friday 2 May 2003. More information.

• Swedish Research Links funding for Linköping’s water project in South India
The Department of Water and Environmental Studies, Linköping University, headed by Prof Jan Lundqvist, in the Fall 2002 secured a three years funding from the Swedish Research Links programme, for a major project on water resources management in South India. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the SaciWATERs (South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies), Hyderabad, India. More information on the project.

• Volume on Maithili Studies published at Stockholm University
The section of Indology, Department for Oriental Languages, University of Stockholm, in January 2003 published a volume on ”Maithili Studies”, edited by Assistant Professor William Smith. The book, which is the fourth title in the department’s publication series ”Stockholm Studies in Indian Languages and Culture”, consists of papers presented at the Stockholm Conference on Maithili Language and Literature, arranged at the department in August 1996. Smith who is a scholar teaching in Hindi, Bengali and Cultural history, has spent long time in India, especially in Kolkata, West Bengal. In the same publication series he has previously published another two titles, ”Ramayana Traditions in Eastern India (Assam, Bengal, Orissa)” in 1988 and ”Patterns in North Indian Hagiography” in 2000. In a separate publication series William Smith published a ”Bengali Reference Grammar” in 1997, as the first in the ”Stockholm Oriental Textbook Series”. More information.

• Report from the 7th National Convention of the Indian Network of NGO’s working on hiv/aids
Representatives from 254 NGO’s from 15 Indian states and few international resource people like Dr. Binod Mahanty from WHO attended the 7th National Convention of the Indian Network of NGO’s working on hiv/aids, 27–28 February 2003 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Read a report from from convention.

• Danish web site on Hinduism working again
The web site www.hindu.dk, prepared by the Danish etnographer Lars Kjaerholm, Århus University, is now back on the Internet. It consists of more than 1 600 web pages, and offers a wealth of information regarding Hinduism. Go for the updated site!

• Invitation for fellowship on comparative truth and reconciliation processes in Chicago
The Center for International Human Rights of Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, U.S., invites applications for a one-year, post-doctoral fellowship on comparative truth and reconciliation processes. The primary responsibility of the Fellow will be to provide research support and academic coordination of a year-long, interdisciplinary seminar at Northwestern University. Applicants from all countries are welcome, but must have English fluency. Applications before 1 April 2003.

• Fellowships available to college and university teachers based in South Asia
Social Science Research Council, an independent, nonprofit organization. based in New York City, with an ambition to advance social science throughout the world, supporting research, education and scholarly exchange worldwide, announces a number of South Asia Regional Fellowships, up to 20, for college and university teachers based in South Asia. The fellowship theme for 2003–4 is Migration. Eligible applicants must hold a PhD in the social sciences, humanities, or related fields, and the primary intent of the fellowship is to write up completed research. The fellowship program is operated in collaboration with five partner organizations in South Asia: Centre for Alternatives, Dhaka; Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata; Social Science Baha, Kathmandu; Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad; and Social Scientists' Association, Colombo. Closing date for applications: 15 May 2003. 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.

• International Conference on the Forest and Environmental History of the British Empire and Commonwealth
The conference is organized by the School of African and Asian Studies, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK, 19–21 March, 2003. This conference will be the first ever held on the forest and environmental history of the seventy-plus territories that made up or make the area of the British Empire and Commonwealth in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific, and the aim is to facilitate contacts and discussion between professional actors and academics working in the Commonwealth, as well as cross-fertilisation between professionals working in 'North' and 'South'.

• Conference on Space and South Asian literatures in English at Århus University
The Nordic Summer University (NSU), a long-established institution within the Nordic intellectual arena, invites participants for a thematic study circle (including a winter seminar as well as a summer conference) in 2003 on the theme ”Space and South Asian literatures in English”. The winter seminar takes place at Århus University, Denmark, 21–23 March 2003, and is titled ”South Asian Literatures: Interrogating Postcolonialism”, and will be organized by Dr Tabish Khair. More information.

• A two days seminar on ”Religious Mobilisation and Organised Violence in Contemporary South Asia”
is organised in Roskilde, Denmark, 3–4 April 2003. The seminar is aranged by the Graduate School of International Development Studies, Roskilde University Centre. Among the lecturers and discussants are found the professors Paul Brass, Washington, USA; Jan Breman, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Dipankar Gupta, JNU, New Delhi, India; Ian Talbott, Coventry, UK; and Thomas Blom Hansen, Edinburgh, UK. The first day of the seminar is open to the public while the second day is reserved for Nordic PhD students and researchers, who will present their papers. Venue: Roskilde University campus, Universitetsvej 1. More information on the seminar.

• Conference on ”Biodiversity, Biotechnology, and the Protection of Traditional Knowledge” in St. Louise
On 4–6 April 2003 the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Washington University School of Law, St. Louise, Missourie, U.S. arranges a conference whichs brings together leading biologists, social scientists, legal scholars, government officials, and representatives of non-governmental organizations, focuses on the agricultural and plant aspects of the biotech revolution, including its impact on the protection of biodiversity, the protection and regulation of agricultural and plant biotechnology, and the international intellectual property implications of both. Among the participants are found Anil Gupta, Centre for Management in Agriculture, Ahmadabad, India; and Gurdev Khush, director of the International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines, who will speak on “Biotechnology: Public-Private Partnership and IPR in the Context of Developing Countries”. Venue: Anheuser-Busch Hall, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

• A workshop on ”Modern adaptations of Sufi-based popular Islam: Concepts, practices and movements in a translocal perspective” is held at the Centre for Modern Oriental Studies, Berlin, 4–5 April, 2003. The workshop includes studies on the Sufi reformist movements in Pakistan. More information.

• 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.

• The 2003 International Iqbal Conference
will take place 21–23 April 2003 at the Aiwan i Iqbal Auditorium in Lahore, Pakistan, under the auspices of the Iqbal Academy Pakistan. The topic of the Conference shall be “Perspectives on Iqbal – A World Survey of Iqbal Studies”. The inauguration shall be made by the President of Pakistan and the event synchronizes with the grand occasion of the Iqbal Day 21st April. Venue: 6th Floor, Academy Block, Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex, Off Egerton Road, Lahore. More information on Iqbal Academy.

• Cross disciplinary PhD-course in Norway on “States and regions: Exploring the relationship”
The Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM), University of Oslo; in collaboration with the Nordic International Studies Association (NISA); International Development Studies, Roskilde University; and Fafo AIS, arrange a cross disciplinary PhD-course on “States and regions: Exploring the relationship” at Noresund, near Oslo, 23–26 April 2003. The course, which is organised by will put particular focus on regionalisation in the non-European world. Among the lecturers are found Prof Björn Hettne, PADRIGU, Göteborg University. Deadline for application: 15 March 2003. .

• International Conference on ”Conflict Prevention – analysis, policies and practice” at Lund University
The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Centre for European Studies at Lund University, and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, arrange an International Conference on ”Conflict Prevention – analysis, policies and practice” at Lund University 8–9 May 2003. More information (as a pdf-file).

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

• The 20th annual meeting of the Sanskrit Tradition in the Modern World
The so-called STIMW seminar takes place 23–25 May 2003, at Minsteracres Retreat Centre, a monastery in the Tyne valley near to Newcastle, U.K. The seminar is arranged by the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

• Global conference on Mountain Ecotourism at Namche Bazar
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation of Nepal, in collaboration with Bridges-PRTD (Projects in Rational Tourism Development), and the Laboratory of Geoecology, Hokkaido University, Japan, arranges a global conference on Mountain Ecotourism at Namche Bazaar, Khumbu, Nepal, 24–26 May, 2003. .

• A Nordic Researcher Training seminar on ”Global Governance and Development”
is arranged at Bornholm, Denmark, 2–4 June 2003. The seminar is organised by the Graduate School of International Development Studies, Roskilde University, in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies, Helsinki University; Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM), University of Oslo; Centre for Development Studies, University of Bergen; and Dept of Sociology, Lund University. Venue: Strandhotellet, Allinge-Sandvig, Bornholm, Denmark. Venue: Strandhotellet, Allinge-Sandvig, Bornholm. Deadline for application 1 April 2003. More information (pdf-file)

• Conference on ”Women and Politics in Asia” at Halmstad University
An international multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary conference on ”Women and Politics in Asia” will take place at Halmstad University 6–7 June 2003. The aim of the conference is to study different dimensions of Asian women in politics, with contributions from scholars within the social sciences and the humanities from various parts of the world. Abstracts for papers expanding on the central theme, and on other relevant topics, are invited. Deadline for submission: 31 January 2003. The conference is organized jointly by the School of Social and Health Sciences at Halmstad University, the Centre for Asian Studies at Göteborg University, the Centre for East and Southeast Asian Studies at Lund University, and Nordic Institute for Asian Studies, NIAS. More information on the conference website.

• The International Conference on South Asia Literatures and Languages – SALILA (the former ICOSAL) takes place in Moscow, Russian Federation, at the Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University, 5–9 July 2003. More information.

• The International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES)
arranges its 15th Congress on the theme ”Humankind/Nature Interaction: Past, Present, and Future”, 5–12 July, 2003, at Florence, Italy. More information on IUAES web site with its wonderful introductory page, do not miss it!. A large number of the sessions will be devoted to South Asia.

• International Workshop on ”The Restructuring of Old Industrial Areas in Europe and Asia”
The Dept of Geography, University of Bonn, Germany, arranges an International Workshop on ”The Restructuring of Old Industrial Areas in Europe and Asia”, 11–12 July 2003. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• A Post-graduate researcher training course on ”Intervention, local politics and the state”
is held at the University of Helsinki Biological Research Centre, Lammi, Finland, 14–16 August 2003. Registered PhD candidates in Development Studies or related fields are invited to the conference where James Ferguson (University of California, Irvine), Christian Lund (Roskilde University Centre), Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan (EHESS, Marseille), and K. Sivaramakrishnan (University of Washington, Seattle) will lecture. Closing date for applications: 30 April 2003. More information.

• International conference on peripheral communities in Härjedalen in August
An International multidisciplinary conference on the theme ”Peripheral Communities. Crisis, Continuity and Long-Term Survival” will take place in Sveg and the forest village of Ängersjö in Härjedalen, Sweden on August 14-17, 2003. The conference is hosted by the Swedish interdisciplinary research project ”Flexibility as Tradition. Culture and Subsistence in the Boreal Forests of Northern Sweden”, which involves scholars from the faculties of natural science, humanities and social science, and it will explore the historical and contemporary conditions of peripheral communities from a broad multidisciplinary perspective. More information at the conference website.

• The Third International Convention of Asia scholars, ICAS3,
will be arranged at Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore, 19–22 August, 2003. The convention is organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore. Due to the high number of requests, the proposal submission deadline has been extended to 31 January 2003. Proposals on all aspects of Asia research are invited. More information.

• The Brittish Development Studies Association invites for its annual conference
at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, 10–12 September 2003. Note that participants should be members of the Development Studies association. The main theme for the conference will be ”Globalisation and Development”. Keynote Speaker will be Professor Adrian Wood (Chief Economist, DFID) who will speak on “Globalisation and Poverty Reduction”. Professors George Soros and Mohammed Yunus have also been approached but their presence is not yet confirmed.

• 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”, Simronjit Singh (photo to the right), 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”. More information at the conference web page.

• The First Globelics Conference,
”Innovation Systems and Development Strategies for the Third Millennium”, is arranged 2–6 November 2003 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Globelics is a world-wide network of scholars who apply the concept of learning, innovation, and competence building system (LICS) as their analytical framework. The network is especially dedicated to the strengthening of LICS in developing countries. The transformation of India in relation to other major states in the World will be one important theme in the conference, as well as the issues of economic development built on local and regional innovation systems; and social capital and competence building in the learning society. More information.

• An International Seminar and Workshop on ”Fermented Foods, Health Status and Social Well being”
will be organised by the Institute of Rural Management at Anand, Gujarat, India, 13–14 November 2003. The conference is co-hosted by the Dept of Applied Nutrition, Lund University, Sweden; and is partly sponsored by a planning grant from SASNET. Read the announcement (as a pdf-file).

• 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.

• A regional conference of the International Association of the History of Religions (IAHR)
will be arranged in New Delhi, India, 18–21 December, 2003. The conference, whichs aims to encourage rigorous secular studies of religious traditions in India: Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism, is organised by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), in collaboration with India International Centre. Last date for submission of abstracts is 15 December, 2002. Final date for confirmation of accepted proposals: 31 January 31, 2003.

• 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.

• The 18th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies
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, which is organised by SASNET, on behalf of the European Association for South Asian Studies, EASAS. Suggestions for panels should be delivered before 30 June, 2003. More information.

• The Fifth European Social Science History Conference
takes place at Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, 24–27 March 2004. The conference aims at bringing together scholars interested in explaining historical phenomena using the methods of the social sciences. The conference is characterized by a lively exchange in many small groups, rather than by formal plenary sessions. The Conference welcomes papers and sessions on any topic and any historical period. It is organised in a large number of networks, including such as: Asia; Culture; Ethnicity and Migration; Family and Demography; Geography; Health; Nations and Nationalism; and Social Inequality. More information.

• Kathak Malla lectures on the 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, will talk on the conflict between the Maoist guerilla and government troops which since 1996 has taken a toll of more than 7 000 lives. A cease-fire was made in January 2003. What lies behind this, will it become permanent, what are the prospects for Nepal’s future, are questions that Malla will discuss. Venue: Lecture hall, Dept of Oriental Languages, Kräftriket, House 4 (previously Roslagsvägen 101), Stockholm.

• Seminar in Stockholm on technology transfer within the iron industry from Sweden to India in the 1860’s
PhD candidate Jan af Geijerstam, Department of History of Science and Technology, KTH, Stockholm, on Monday 24 March, 2003, 15.00–17.00, presents an outline of his forthcoming thesis, dealing with technology transfer within the iron industry from Sweden to India in the 1860’s. The lecture is arranged by the recently formed International Relations Seminar at Stockholm University. Venue: Dept of Economic History, Frescati house A, seminar room 900. To get hold of a copy of the article ”The Kumaon Iron Works – A Colonial Technology Project”, published in History of Technology, Vol. 23, London 2003, send an e-mail to Jan af Geijerstam (photo to the left).

• Cross-disciplinary workshop on ”Cultural Economics; A Critical Assessment” in Uppsala
The Seminar for Development Studies, Uppsala University, invites to a cross-disciplinary workshop on ”Cultural Economics; A Critical Assessment”, on Wednesday, March 26, 14.15–17.00. The speakers will be: Stephen Gudeman, Dept of Anthropology, University of Minnesota; Gert Helgesson, Dept of Philosophy, Uppsala University; Alf Hornborg, Human Ecology Division, Lund University; and Lars Pålsson Syll, School of Education and Communication, Jönköping University. Venue: University Building, room 1, Uppsala.

• Erik Solheim in discussion on the Sri Lankan peace process, in Oslo
A Seminar on Peace Processes, based on experiences from the conflict in Sri Lanka, is held in Oslo, Norway, Thursday 27 March, 18–20. Erik Solheim from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and negotiator in the conflict between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government, and Jan Egeland, general secretary, Norwegian Red Cross, will discuss their experiences. Venue: Auditorium 14, Domus Biblioteka Faculty of Law, Oslo University, Karl Johansgate.

• Martin Gansten lectures on ”Violence denied – Indic religions and the Ahimsa ideal”
A public lecture on ”Violence denied – Indic religions and the Ahimsa ideal” is held by PhD candidate Martin Gansten, Section of History of Religion, at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (CTR), Lund University, on Thursday 10 April 2003, 17.15-18.00. It is part of a series of lectures with the common theme ”Terror in the Name of God”, and is arranged by the Section of Psychology of Religion, Lund University. Venue: Edens hörsal, Paradisgatan 5 H.

• Paul R Brass lectures on ”The Dynamics of Riot Production in Contemporary India”
Professor Paul R Brass from Dept of Political Science, University of Washington, U.S., lectures at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM), Oslo University, on Monday 7 April 2003, 10.15–12.00, on ”The Dynamics of Riot Production in Contemporary India”. Venue: Seminar room 2, Georg Sverdrup building, Blindern, Oslo.
The next day, Tuesday 8 April, 10.15–12-00, Prof Brass lectures on ”Riots and Elections”, at the samne place. Both lectures are part of a research colloquium on ”Local Politics and Democratisation”, held at SUM during the Spring 2003.
The lectures are open for all, but requires that participants have read papers beforehand.

• An Open Workshop on ”Democratising and Developing Post-Conflict Sri Lanka”
is arranged by the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM), Oslo University, on 6 May 2003, 10.00–16.00. Venue: Auditorium 2, Helga Eng Building, Blindern, Oslo. The workshop is part of of a research colloquium on ”Local Politics and Democratisation”, held at SUM during the Spring 2003.

• 5 credits Summer course on ”Indien – nu och då” at Uppsala University
The Dept of Asian and African Languages, Uppsala University, arranges a 5 credits Summer course on ”Indien – nu och då”, during the period 6 June–4 July 2003, with examinations in August. A similar course was given in 2002.

• The second European Summer School in Modern South Asian Studies
takes place 21 July – 2 August 2003, at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, Germany. It is jointly organised by the University of Edinburgh, the European Institute of Asian Studies, Brussels, the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Paris, University of Oslo and the University of Heidelberg. Undergraduate and graduate students from all over Europe will, through an interdisciplinary teaching program, covering issues of History, Politics, Economy, Religion and Development studies, gain insights into the most important aspects of modern South Asia. A limited number of scholarships is available.

• International Masters of Science programme in ”Water resources and livelihood security” at Linköping University
A 50 credits International Masters of Science programme in ”Water resources and livelihood security” is organised at the Dept of Water and Environmental Studies, September 2003– September 2004, i e altogether 50 weeks of study. The programme is open for students from Sweden and from abroad. Closing dates for applications to the 2003/04 course: 15 April 2003.

• ”World course” on Justice, Peace and Environment at Ljungskile folk high school
A new ”World course” on Justice, Peace and Environment, including a three weeks tour to north India, will be arranged at Ljungskile Folk High school in the Fall 2003. Last date for applications: 3 May 2003.

• 20 credits Elementary Sanskrit course at Lund University 2003/2004
The Dept for History of Religions at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies introduces a a 20 credits course for beginners in Elementary Sanskrit. The course is taught on half-time from September 2003 till May 2004. Deadline for applications: 15 April, 2003.

• New courses on Indic religions at Lund University
The Dept of History of Religions also arranges a 5 credits course on Jainism, Non-violence, and Vegetarianism, and a 5 credits course on Tantra and Tantric religion, during the Autumn 2003.
During the Spring 2004 the section for History of Religions arranges a 5 credits course on Yoga and Meditation in Indian religions, and a 5 credits course on Astrology and Divination in Indian religions.

• Course on Islam in South Asia at Lund University in the Spring 2004
The section for Islamology at the Dept of History of Religions, Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, in the Spring 2004 arranges a 5-credit course on Islam in South and South East Asia.
In the Spring 2004 the section arranges a 5 credits course on Introduction to Islamic Law.

• Course on The Psychology of Meditation at Lund University
The Dept of Psychology of Religion at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies arranges a 5 credits part time course on The Psychology of Meditation, starting from descriptive studies on Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, in the Fall 2003.

• Master of Science programme in Urban Housing Management at Lund University
The Dept of Housing Development and Management runs a 16 months Master of Science programme in Urban Housing Management in cooperation with the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, IHS, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The next course will start in September 2003. Applications should be submitted before April 2003.

• 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.

• 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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SASNET - Swedish South Asian Studies Network/Lund University
Address: Scheelevägen 15 D, SE-223 70 Lund, Sweden
Phone: +46 46 222 73 40
Webmaster: Lars Eklund
Last updated 2011-04-08

SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

Newsletter 25:

17 March 2003

Best regards

Staffan Lindberg Lars Eklund

SASNET/ Swedish South Asian Studies Network