Oxford Early Modern South Asia Workshop

25-26 May 2007

Much recent writing about the ‘early modern’ in South Asia has focused on the theme of circulation, of the growing rapidity with which commodities, texts, skilled personnel, technologies and ideas diffused through the social and commercial networks of the subcontinent. For many historians, this theme of intensified circulation is what in fact defines the early modern in South Asia and links the region’s historical development to that of a wider early modern world. At the same time, there is much about this key feature of the period that needs more detailed investigation. The purpose of this workshop is to explore some rather specific questions about the social and cultural aspects of these processes of circulation.

Reconstructing Networks: What techniques of investigation are available to help us piece together a history of the circulation of texts as manuscripts?

Patrons, Collectors, and Readers: Is it possible to work towards a more definitive understanding of the nature of reading practices, readerships and audiences?

Shifting Genres: Given the difficulty of identifying 'the new' in the early modern setting, how far can we take apparent transformations in literary genres to be a sign of deeper social and intellectual change?

The Identity of Authors: How was authorship understood in different genres, and by different audiences?

The Reality of Continuity: Has the search for rapid forms of cultural diffusion curtailed our understanding of processes that placed a premium on continuity and exclusivity?

Participants
Kapil Raj (Paris)
Sheldon Pollock (Columbia)
David Washbrook (Oxford)
Polly O’Hanlon (Oxford)
Dominik Wujastik (UCL)
David Taylor (Oxford)
Imre Bangha (Oxford)
V. Narayana Rao (Wisconsin)
Sanjay Subrahmanyam (UCLA)
Christopher Minkowski (Oxford)
Nile Green (Manchester)
Jonardon Ganeri (Liverpool)
Jeevan Deol (SOAS)
Allison Busch (Columbia)

Place: Dahrendorf Room, St. Antony’s College

Dates: Friday, 25 May, 9:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday, 26 May, 9:00am – 4:00pm

Sponsored by the Faculty of Oriental Studies and St Antony’s College

Conference organizers:

Christopher Minkowski
Polly O’Hanlon
David Washbrook

There is no formal registration process or fee for attendance, but please contact Professor O’Hanlon rosalind.ohanlon@orinst.ox.ac.uk if you plan to attend.

Workshop Programme: Please click here.
Workshop Poster: Please click here.
Programme Statement: Please click here.