SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Newsletter 39:

11 May 2004

SASNET News:

• 400 participants to the 18th EASAS conference in Lund in July 2004
The 18th EASAS conference organized by SASNET and Lund University 6–9 July 2004 has attracted a great interest from researchers on South Asia related studies from all over the World. 400 researchers registered for the conference before the deadline 1 May 2004. The conference will have a total number of 46 panels, covering a wide scope of research fields from the social sciences and humanities to medicine and technology. Go for the full list of panels!
Full information on the conference, including a map of central Lund, information on how to pay the registration fee (at a reduced conference price if paid before 1 June), links to hotels, etc. is found at our conference web page, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/EASAS18.html.
A poster advertising the conference is also available (as a pdf-file). Please download it and put it up at your institution/department.

• Srilankan member of SASNET’s South Asian reference group visited Lund
Dr. Kumudu Wijewardena from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (SJP), Sri Lanka (photo to the right), visited SASNET on Thursday 6 May 2004. Dr. Wijewardena, who regularly visits Uppsala University where she is involved in research collaboration with the Dept. of Women's and Children's Health, is a member of SASNET’s South Asian reference group, overlooking our work from a South Asian perspective.

• Apply for SASNET planning grants before 15 June 2004
Applications are now invited for the coming round of SASNET planning grants for research and educational projects and programmes involving Swedish researchers in collaboration with colleagues/institutions in South Asia. SASNET has distributed 40 planning grants since the start in 2001. Go for the full list of these grants given.
Closing date for applications to the new round is 15 June 2004, and decisions will be taken in the end of August. More information.

• Use SASNET’s advanced search function
An advanced search function was created for SASNET two years ago 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 20 000 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:

• Doctoral dissertation at Göteborg University on export industry workers in Chennai
Gunilla Blomqvist at the Dept. of Peace and Development Studies (PADRIGU), Göteborg University, will defend her doctoral dissertation on ”Gender Discourses at Work: Export Industry Workers and Construction Workers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India”, on Thursday 3 June 2004, 10–12. Faculty opponent is Professor Naila Kabeer, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, England. Venue: PADRIGU, Room 105 (ground floor), Brogatan 4, Göteborg. More information.

Educational News

• Summer course in Indology at Stockholm University
The Section for Indology at the Dept. of Oriental Languages; Stockholm University, arranges a 5 credits summer course in June–July 2004. The course, ”Introduction to Indology”, include lectures on philology, history, politics, literature and religion. More information.

• Courses on Indian religions at Lund University
The section for Indic religions at the Dept. of History of Religions, Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University, arranges a 5 credits course on ”Yoga and Meditation in Indian religions” during the Spring 2004, and a 5 credits course on ”Astrology and Divination in Indian religions”. In the Fall 2004 the department will run a 5 credits course on Western Buddhism, and another 5 credits course on the Bhagavadgita. Finally in the Spring 2005 the department will arrange a 5 credits course on ”Indian Philosophy”, and another 5 credits course on ”Sikhism”.

• Courses at Lund University on Islam in South Asia
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 will arrange a 5 credits course on ”Introduction to Islamic Law”. In the Fall 2004 the section of Islamology also runs a 5 credits part time course on ”Local Islam – Islam in South and South East Asia”.

• Course at Lund University on Asian mystic traditions
The Dept of Psychology of Religion at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University, in the Fall 2004 arranges a 5 credits part time course on ”Traditions of Mysticism”, dealing with basic mystic texts from Hindu, Buddhist, and Tao traditions, including studies of specific yoga techniques and their psychological effects.

• Lund University offers course on Conservation of Historic Buildings
The Dept of Housing Development and Management, at the Division of Construction & Architecture, Lund Institute of Technology, Lund University, regularly arranges Sida-sponsored short courses directed to planners, architects, civil engineers, administrators and others working with construction, housing and human settlements. A postgraduate training course on ”Conservation and Management of Historic Buildings” will start in September 2004. This will be a two-part course in collaboration with the Department of Architectural Conservation and Restoration, Lund University. The first three-weeks part is held in Lund, and the course then continues with a two-weeks tour to Africa or Asia in the spring 2005. More information.

Summer schools

• Summer school at Lund University on Gendering Identities in Contemporary Asia
The Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies at Lund University arranges an International Summer School 17–20 August 2004. The summer school focuses on ”Gendering Identities: Personal and Political Strategies in Contemporary Asia”, addressing the ways in which gender, sex, body, and sexuality are constructed in contemporary Asian societies through processes of social interaction and dynamics between states and persons. The summer school is concerned with the region as such because of the wide range of understandings and practices that can be found in East, South-East, and South Asian societies with respect to the roles and power of women and men, their biological capacities, their bodies, and sexualities. Post-graduate and Ph.D. students are welcome to send applications including abstract of her/his MA/Ph.D. research topic before 28 May 2004. Half the student group will be selected from applicants already studying at Swedish universities, and half from universities worldwide. More information.

Important lectures and seminars

• Martin Gansten lectures on Astrology in India
SASNET organizes an open lecture with Dr. Martin Gansten, Centre for Theology and Religion, Lund University, on Tuesday 11 May 2004, 15.15–17.00. Gansten, who is a Sanskritist and historian of religion specializing in classical Hinduism, will lecture on ”Astrology in Ancient and Modern India” His research interests include Indian philosophical traditions as well as astrology and other divinatory arts. He defended his doctoral dissertation on ”Patterns of Destiny: Hindu Nadi Astrology” in 2003. Venue: Hall 118, Centre for Theology and Religion, Allhelgona Kyrkogata, Lund. More information on Martin Gansten.

• Ashok Aklujkar lectures at Copenhagen University
Ashok Aklujkar from the University of British Columbia, Canada, holds a guest lecture at Copenhagen University on Wednesday 12 May 2004, 15.00. Aklujkar will lecture on ”Grammar and Religion – Spiritual Merit in India”, focusing on the interaction between grammatical and ethical (dharmic) traditions in India. Venue: Room 513, Dept. of Asian Studies, Copenhagen University, Leifsgade 33.

• Full-day seminar on ”Combating HIV/Aids, Malaria, and TB at Lund University
The Centre for Environmental Studies at Lund University, MICLU, arranges a full-day seminar on ”Combating HIV/Aids, Malaria, and TB”, on Wednesday 12 May 2004, 9.00–16.30. It is the second seminar in MICLU’s ongoing transdisciplinary series of lectures and seminar on the ”Seven Challenges for sustainability”. Among the lecturers during the day are Asst. professor Jerker Liljestrand, Dept. of Social medicine, Lund University; and Professor Hans Rosling, Dept. of International Health, Karolinska Institutet Medical University. Venue: Palaestra Lecture Hall, and Eden Lecture Hall, Paradisgatan, Lund. More information.

Conferences and courses

• AREU arranges network meeting on Geender and Learning in Kabul
The Kabul-based research institute AREU, Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, arranges a network meeting in Kabul on ”Gender, Research, Evaluation and Learning” on Sunday 16 May 2004, 9–12. The network is one of four new networks AREU is initiating, providing a forum for sharing learning on gender; further build learning based on the experience and knowledge of those who attend; and determine how this learning can be relevant and useful to policy makers and practitioners. Venue: AREU, Charahi Ansari, Shahr-i Nau, Kabul. To take part in the meeting please contact Shawna Wakefield before 9 May. More information on AREU’s research projects.

• Invitation for the 14th World Water Week in Stockholm
The 14th World Water Week in Stockholm, internationally known as a global platform for continuing dialogue on critical water issues, takes place 16–20 August 2004. An exciting series of leading-edge seminars, side events and ceremonies – together with the Stockholm Water Symposium – make the World Water Week a valuable meeting point for experts and organisations from many water-related disciplines. The First Announcement includes a call for abstracts and posters for the 14th Stockholm Water Symposium, ”Drainage Basin Security – Regional Approaches for Food and Urban Security”. More information.

• EGDI and WIDER arranges conference in Finland in September
A conference on ”Unlocking Human Potential Linking the Informal and Formal Sectors” is held at Helsinki, Finland 17–18 September 2004. The conference is arranged by The Expert Group on Development Issues (EGDI) and WIDER, World Institute for Development Economics Research. WIDER is a research and training centre of the United Nations University, based at Helsinki, whereas EGDI is a policy advisory body linked to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. More information.

• Bergen conference on Education, Knowledge and Development
The Centre for Development Studies at the University of Bergen invites to a conference on ”Education, Knowledge and Development” to be held in Bergen, Norway, 30 September–1 October 2004. The conference aims to explore at depth the currently strong international focus on the relationship between development and education. The conference also aims to more broadly explore the meanings and conditions of knowledge for development and poverty reduction in the era of globalisation.

• Conference at Lund University on Rituals in Indian religions
A Nordic conference on ”Ritual practices in Indian religions and contexts” is held at Lund University 9–11 December 2004. The conference is arranged by the seminars of Indian Religions and Ritual Studies at the Department of History and Anthropology of Religion, Lund University, in cooperation with the academic journal Chakra – Tidskrift för indiska religioner. Scholars and PhD students engaged in research concerning Indian religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism) and rituals are invited to take part.  Presented papers will be considered for publication in the journal Chakra. More information.

• Göteborg conference on Negotiating Gender Justice
The Centre for Global Gender Studies, PADRIGU, Göteborg University, Sweden, arranges a conference on ”Negotiating Gender Justice”, 28 February – 2 March 2005. This conference focuses on gender relations in countries in the South and aims at exploring how meanings of gender justice are negotiated at all levels of society, in parliaments as well as in bedrooms.

• UK conference in cinnection with 150th anniversary of the Santal Rebellion
The University of Sussex organizes a conference on ”Reinterpreting Adivasi (Indigenous peoples) Movements in South Asia”, 21–23 March 2005. The conference is held in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Santal Rebellion in the present state of Jharkhand in eastern India. Deadline for paper proposals is the end of September 2004. Venue: Graduate Centre in the School of Humanities, and Graduate Centre in the School of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex, UK.

• European South Asian Archaeology conference in London
The European Association of South Asian Archaeologists holds its biannual International Conference in London, UK, 4–8 July 2005. The conference will be hosted by The British Museum and the Institute of Archaeology (UCL) in the Clore education centre within the museum. Papers on all aspects of South Asian archaeology will be presented, from prehistory to art history, including studies of architecture and material culture.

• Asian Conference on Environmental Education in Delhi
The 7th Asian Conference on Environmental Education, with the theme ”Education for Sustainable Development”, is held at Agra, India, 19–23 September 2005. The conference is arranged by the Indian Environmental Society (IES).

• More conferences connected to South Asian studies arranged all over the World, see SASNET’s page, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/conferences.html#conf

New and updated items on SASNET web site

• More Swedish departments where research on South Asia is going on:
Added to the list of research environments at Swedish universities, presented by SASNET. The full list now includes 120 departments. Go to the presentation page.

ƒ Dept. of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University
ƒ Centre for Environmental Studies (MICLU), Lund University
ƒ Dept. of Teaching processes, Communication and Learning, Stockholm Institute of Education

• 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. New items added, especially on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.

• Election results from Sri Lanka
See our information page on Sri Lanka, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/lanka.html

• Books distributors
To our comprehensive list of books distributors specialized in South Asian literature, http://www.sasnet.lu.se/books.html, is now added Bibliophile South Asia, headed by Ashok Butani (photo to the left) who retired in 2002 as Chief, Acquisitions (South Asia) of the Library of Congress Office, New Delhi, after serving there for 33 years.

       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, Scheelevägen 15 B, S-223 70 Lund, Sweden
Visiting address: Ideon Research Park, House Alfa 1 (first floor, room no. 2042), in the premises of the Centre for East and South East Asian Studies at Lund University (ACE).
Phone: + 46 46 222 73 40
Fax: + 46 46 222 30 41
E-mail: sasnet@sasnet.lu.se
Web site: http://www.sasnet.lu.se
Staff: Staffan Lindberg, director/co-ordinator & Lars Eklund, webmaster/deputy director