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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00046 Jul 2005

 
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                        Call for Papers
                                And
                Participation in a Seminar
                                on

        Socio-political Implications of Aryan Invasion Theory
                (Moderated By: Dr. Srinivasan Kalyanaraman)

            This is a Call for Papers on the Socio-Political 
Implications of the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT). A seminar followed 
by a workshop on this subject will be held as part of the Human 
Empowerment Conference in Houston during Sept 16-18, 2005.  The 
submissions and the ensuing debate at the conference among the 
thinkers present is expected to culminate into a position paper on 
this topic. The position paper alongwith the proceedings of this 
seminar will be made available widely, and it is hoped that it would
have a bearing on popular but erroneous notions that are derivative 
of AIT.

Background

            Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT) has been a major pre-
occupation in intellectual debates for nearly 200 years. AIT was 
proposed and elaborated upon by many indologists both in India and 
abroad as a framework for understanding the history of ancient India. 
AIT was started as a theory for comparative study of languages 
because of common language terms among languages of India, Greece and 
many European countries. As archaeological discoveries pointed to the 
indigenous emergence of Indian civilization about 5000 years ago, and 
continuity of the culture in India, (with little archaeological 
evidence for the movement of any 'Aryan' people into India), AIT 
proponents have suggested modified theories such as Aryan Migration 
Theory, Aryan Trickle-in Acculturation Theory.

            AIT (and its variants) has not been a mere historical 
theorization. Apart from monopolizing academic discourses, it has had
profound social and political implications in India, fomenting:

*       a divisive 'dravidian' movement in Tamilnadu 

*       so-called Aryan-dravidian divide referring to the 'aryan 
north' and the 'dravidian south'

*       caste conflicts within Indian society assuming a ranking among
'castes' 

*       stereotyping of 'tribes' as original settlers justifying 
colonial regimes to 'civilise' tribal communities

            Pre-occupation with AIT has also prevented a systematic 
study of an unbiased and true history of science and technology in 
ancient India and the contributions made by Bharatam Janam (a term 
used in Rigveda to connote the 'people of the nation of Bharata') to 
the crystallization of India's national identity and essential unity 
of the nation.

Objectives

*       survey the contributions made by archaeologists, historians,
scholars of a number of disciplines in support of and against the AIT

*       analyse the socio-cultural-political implications of AIT (and 
its modified forms) in terms of

*       distortions created in the study of ancient Indian history

*       distortions of the contributions made by jaati and janajaati 
(NOT castes which is derived from a Portuguese word meaning 'race') 
to Indian thought, culture, ethos and traditions

*       distortions in the political discourse of the nation on issues
related to 'castes' and 'tribes'

*       present alternative perspectives for studying Indian 
civilization in terms of

*       Sanatana dharma (dhamma) as a framework for studying the 
evolution of Indian thought

*       Contributions of Indian thought, science and technology to 
world culture and heritage

*       Research methodologies based on Indian traditions of tri-
varga of s'ruti-tantrayukti-anubhuti instead of blind reliance on 
Hegelian dialectical method.

*       Deliberate upon and propose an action plan for 

*       Further areas of research 

*       Steps to undo the negative impacts of AIT on Indian polity and
socio-cultural development

*       Steps to correct the distortions and present a true 
perspective of Indian civilization in school text-books

            Scholars are requested to submit papers in digital form 
(MS Word) to facilitate publication in seminar proceedings. The 
seminar will be followed by a workshop where an annual action plan 
will be developed in three distinct general areas: (i) Ideology - 
further research that needs to be undertaken in this subject area, 
(ii) Awareness - how to package the intellectual output and propagate 
among the masses, and (iii) Action - what collective action to take 
to undo the damage done to the society by AIT and its socio-political 
derivatives.

        The Seminar will be moderated by Dr. Srinivasan Kalyanaraman 
( http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati ).

                                ******

How to participate:

Submissions can be sent to :

Anand Rajaram
Seminar Coordinator
E-mail: ait-seminar@xxxxxxxxxxx

Deadline for submission of abstracts: Last week of July 2005
Deadline for submission of completed paper: First week of September 
2005

Prospective participants are cordially invited to be present at the
conference during Sept. 16th-18th, 2005, in Houston, Texas, USA. 
Details of the Third Annual Human Empowerment Conference can be 
obtained from the Seminar Coordinator. All prospective participants 
living in the U.S. and Canada are highly encouraged to attend the 
seminar and workshop in person. Participants from India and elsewhere 
can participate via teleconferencing. Appropriate facilities for 
remote participation will be provided by the conference organizers.


Further information about the conference is available from:

Third Annual Human Empowerment Conference 2005
Organizing Committee

Shri Dilip Mehta
Tel. 281-491-7299

Shri Vijay Kumar
Tel. 615-646-1875

Dr. Raj Dave
Tel. 847-274-0459

E-mail: ait-seminar@xxxxxxxxxxx

 
                                *****







 
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