Podcasts about indian studies

SummaryWhat does it really mean to learn in today's world of reels, AI, and short attention spans? In today's episode of “The Gyaan Project”, I'm joined by Prof. Dilip Menon. A global historian, Mellon Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Witwatersrand, and a Science Breakthrough winner—who's spent years exploring how knowledge travels across time, oceans, and cultures. If you're a student, parent, or just curious about why our education feels broken, this episode will shift how you think about learning itself.Key Insights:Teacher-Student Dynamics: Menon invites us to invert the traditional hierarchical relationship between teachers and students, suggesting "a teacher paradoxically is willing to learn."Language & Colonial Legacy: How our ability to theorize in our native languages has been impacted by colonial histories, and why this matters for knowledge creation.Beyond Employability: Why our education systems remain trapped in industrial-era thinking while the world has moved far beyond those needs.Digital Learning: The transformative potential of digital media as active learning tools rather than passive consumption channels.Interdisciplinary Approach: The artificial divide between arts and sciences, and how meaningful education requires breaking down these barriers.Knowledge Creation: Envisioning a future where students actively generate knowledge rather than merely consuming information.Practical Advice: Strategies for focused learning in a distracted age, including deliberate disconnection from constant digital engagement.Prof. Menon's vision for education in 2047 centers on creativity, experimentation, and engagement with AI as partners in knowledge creation rather than threats to human learning.For all details: https://www.thegyaanproject.com/p/ep-306-learning-in-the-amrit-kaal This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thegyaanproject.com

This special issue of Nidān: International Journal for Indian Studies  is the product of a collective experiment with materials that are assembled, imagined, and agentive in the context of South Asian religions. The articles are available here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This special issue of Nidān: International Journal for Indian Studies  is the product of a collective experiment with materials that are assembled, imagined, and agentive in the context of South Asian religions. The articles are available here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

This special issue of Nidan: International Journal for Indian Studies is the product of a collective experiment with materials that are assembled, imagined, and agentive in the context of South Asian religions. The articles are available here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

This special issue of Nidān: International Journal for Indian Studies  is the product of a collective experiment with materials that are assembled, imagined, and agentive in the context of South Asian religions. The articles are available here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

In this podcast we meet CIIS faculty member Sundari Johansen and speak about how her academic background in religious studies informs the critical perspective and frameworks she brings into her course on Hindu Tantra. We discuss research as deep listening and self-transformation, and get into the problems of traditional western ethnographic methodologies based upon the distinction between the insider and outsider. Sundari also shares why she was lead to invert the scholar-practitioner model into the practitioner-scholar model as a way of problematizing and making productive the entangledness of subjective engagement in the subject of one's study. We end by taking a deep dive into her paper titled, (In)conspicuous Consumption: Food, the Child Body, and Inversion of Hard-Core Rituals in Hindu Tantras. Sundari Johansen Hurwitt, PhD, specializes in gender, the body, ritual, power, and secrecy in religion. While her interest in these themes encompasses a variety of religious traditions, her research work currently focuses on ritual studies in South Asia, especially Hinduism, Śāktism (goddess-focused Hindu traditions) and Tantra in India. A practitioner and scholar, Dr. Johansen comparatively explores representations of the young female in the Tantric literature of Bengal and the Northeast as well as in the living Tantric traditions of Northeast India, using extensive textual research and in-depth ethnographic fieldwork.  Her dissertation, “The Voracious Virgin: The Concept and Worship of the Kumārī in Kaula Tantrism” (CIIS, 2019) is the first comprehensive study of the kumārī (pre-menarche virgin girls worshipped as goddesses) in India. She is particularly interested in representations of gender and the body in late medieval and early modern Tantric texts, the development of Tantrism in Bengal and the northeast, and in continuities and differences between textual and modern living traditions. Her work is deeply rooted in post-colonial and decolonial, transnational, feminist, and integrative philosophies, as well as exploration of non-Western philosophical and theoretical traditions. Dr. Johansen is a strong proponent of integral feminist pedagogies and research methods and interested in furthering the development of immersive, cooperative, and collaborative educational models in online education. During her dissertation fieldwork in Assam, Dr. Johansen assisted in the development of a library and digital archive with the Foundation for History and Heritage Studies at Kāmākhyā Dhām in Guwahati, which was established to preserve endangered manuscripts and other documentation from the local community at the Kāmākhyā temple complex. Part of this work included video and audio documentation of local women's devotional music, as well as assistance with digital restoration of archival materials. Dr. Johansen received an MA and PhD in Philosophy and Religion with a concentration in Asian and Comparative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her research has received support from the American Institute of Indian Studies. The EWP Podcast credits Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (PhD candidate) Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Rise from Justin Gray's Synthesis Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this podcast we meet CIIS faculty member Sundari Johansen and speak about how her academic background in religious studies informs the critical perspective and frameworks she brings into her course on Hindu Tantra. We discuss research as deep listening and self-transformation, and get into the problems of traditional western ethnographic methodologies based upon the distinction between the insider and outsider. Sundari also shares why she was lead to invert the scholar-practitioner model into the practitioner-scholar model as a way of problematizing and making productive the entangledness of subjective engagement in the subject of one's study. We end by taking a deep dive into her paper titled, (In)conspicuous Consumption: Food, the Child Body, and Inversion of Hard-Core Rituals in Hindu Tantras. Sundari Johansen Hurwitt, PhD, specializes in gender, the body, ritual, power, and secrecy in religion. While her interest in these themes encompasses a variety of religious traditions, her research work currently focuses on ritual studies in South Asia, especially Hinduism, Śāktism (goddess-focused Hindu traditions) and Tantra in India. A practitioner and scholar, Dr. Johansen comparatively explores representations of the young female in the Tantric literature of Bengal and the Northeast as well as in the living Tantric traditions of Northeast India, using extensive textual research and in-depth ethnographic fieldwork.  Her dissertation, “The Voracious Virgin: The Concept and Worship of the Kumārī in Kaula Tantrism” (CIIS, 2019) is the first comprehensive study of the kumārī (pre-menarche virgin girls worshipped as goddesses) in India. She is particularly interested in representations of gender and the body in late medieval and early modern Tantric texts, the development of Tantrism in Bengal and the northeast, and in continuities and differences between textual and modern living traditions. Her work is deeply rooted in post-colonial and decolonial, transnational, feminist, and integrative philosophies, as well as exploration of non-Western philosophical and theoretical traditions. Dr. Johansen is a strong proponent of integral feminist pedagogies and research methods and interested in furthering the development of immersive, cooperative, and collaborative educational models in online education. During her dissertation fieldwork in Assam, Dr. Johansen assisted in the development of a library and digital archive with the Foundation for History and Heritage Studies at Kāmākhyā Dhām in Guwahati, which was established to preserve endangered manuscripts and other documentation from the local community at the Kāmākhyā temple complex. Part of this work included video and audio documentation of local women's devotional music, as well as assistance with digital restoration of archival materials. Dr. Johansen received an MA and PhD in Philosophy and Religion with a concentration in Asian and Comparative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her research has received support from the American Institute of Indian Studies. The EWP Podcast credits Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (PhD candidate) Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Rise from Justin Gray's Synthesis Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Welcome to another episode of The Chelsae Zirna Podcast. Today we're delving into the profound realm of Tantra, a spiritual path that holds the keys to unlocking our inner truths and uniting the polarities within us.   I'm absolutely thrilled to be joined by an incredible guest today, someone who has not only embraced the teachings of Tantra but also embodies its transformative power, Isabell Froe.    Isabell Froe is an experienced international tantra facilitator and is the founder of Kali Academy. She learned from the source of the teachings in the Himalayan mountains in India, has a Master's Degree in Indian Studies, completed various Tantra Trainings, studied Yoga Therapy,  Ayurveda Medicine, and runs workshops & retreats all over the world. She is a teacher of Kaula and Shaktism and has studied under respected masters in this tradition.   “Isabell is an embodiment of a Dakini with the spirit of Kali and is deeply devoted to empowering the masculine on the path to their highest potential.” She combines her knowledge of tantra with highly intuitive channeling work to support those who long for truth, love, authenticity, and freedom. Today, we'll explore Tantra, the dance between the feminine and masculine energies, and how facing our shadows can lead to ultimate liberation. Isabell will share her insights into the different paths within Tantra, from the orthodox right-hand path to the unorthodox left-hand path, each offering a unique perspective on self-discovery and union.   We'll also dive into the role of Kali in Isabell's journey and how embracing the fierce energy of the goddess can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our path. She will shed light on the practices that help us integrate the feminine and masculine within us, both individually and in our relationships.   So get ready for a captivating conversation as we journey into the heart of Tantra and the power of embracing our shadows to step into the light.   More of what we talked about:  2:04 Isabell's dark night of the soul 7:46 Differences between the different types of tantra 13:20 Who is Kali the Goddess and what she do 26:08 How tantra relates to the work of the feminine and the masculine, and how it is a union of masculine and feminine energy 34:23 The difference between masculine energy and feminine energy 46:17 The importance of the heart space, a spiritual connection and connection to the inner animal, the inner lioness   Connect with Isabell: Website: https://kali-academy.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabell.froe/ *********** Embark on a transformative journey like no other with our "Metamorphosis Program" - a profound rite of passage through the 7 stages of transformation. Step into the chrysalis and witness your own metamorphosis unfold.   To learn more and secure your place, visit https://chrysalisspace.com/metamorphosis/ Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chrysalisspace/

This episode is dedicated to introducing the South Asian Studies Association (SASA) and their annual academic conference being co-hosted by the Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies Concentration (ACTS) being held at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) on March 1st-3rd, 2024. We are joined by Chris Chapple, the president of SASA, and Debashish Banerji, board member of SASA, as well as the chair of ACTS, who describe this years hybrid, in-person and online, conference, which is called Order and Disorder in South Asia. We also discuss Chris's new book, Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas, as well as scholar-practitioner approaches to South Asian Studies. Conference Information Join us for the Order and Disorder in South Asia conference, where leading experts and scholars will explore the delicate balance between stability and chaos in one of the world's most diverse and dynamic regions. Delve into the historical, political, and socio-cultural complexities that have shaped South Asia, examining the forces that foster order and those that disrupt it. Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing this vibrant part of the world. This conference promises to be a thought-provoking journey through the fascinating tapestry called South Asia. You can register here.  Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding Director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. A specialist in the religions of India, he has published more than twenty books, including the recent Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas (SUNY Press). He serves as advisor to multiple organizations including the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale), the Ahimsa Center (Pomona), the Dharma Academy of North America (Berkeley), the Jain Studies Centre (SOAS, London), the South Asian Studies Association, and the International School for Jain Studies (New Delhi). Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies and the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Previously, he was the Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He holds the Aurobindo Puraskar Award for international excellence in Sri Aurobindo studies from the Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata (2017) and the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM) Book Award for Constructive Philosophy. Recent books include Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Pink Integer Books, 2020) and Philo-Sophia: Wisdom Goddess Traditions (Lotus Press, 2021), co-edited with CIIS emeritus President, Robert McDermott. More updated information on his talks, publications and other academic activities may be found at his website www.debashishbanerji.com. EWP Podcast Credits East-West Psychology Podcast Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (EWP PhD candidate) Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Migration, by Justin Gray's Synthesis on Monsoon-Music Online Record Label Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This episode is dedicated to introducing the South Asian Studies Association (SASA) and their annual academic conference being co-hosted by the Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies Concentration (ACTS) being held at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) on March 1st-3rd, 2024. We are joined by Chris Chapple, the president of SASA, and Debashish Banerji, board member of SASA, as well as the chair of ACTS, who describe this years hybrid, in-person and online, conference, which is called Order and Disorder in South Asia. We also discuss Chris's new book, Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas, as well as scholar-practitioner approaches to South Asian Studies. Conference Information Join us for the Order and Disorder in South Asia conference, where leading experts and scholars will explore the delicate balance between stability and chaos in one of the world's most diverse and dynamic regions. Delve into the historical, political, and socio-cultural complexities that have shaped South Asia, examining the forces that foster order and those that disrupt it. Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing this vibrant part of the world. This conference promises to be a thought-provoking journey through the fascinating tapestry called South Asia. You can register here.  Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding Director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. A specialist in the religions of India, he has published more than twenty books, including the recent Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas (SUNY Press). He serves as advisor to multiple organizations including the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale), the Ahimsa Center (Pomona), the Dharma Academy of North America (Berkeley), the Jain Studies Centre (SOAS, London), the South Asian Studies Association, and the International School for Jain Studies (New Delhi). Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies and the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Previously, he was the Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He holds the Aurobindo Puraskar Award for international excellence in Sri Aurobindo studies from the Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata (2017) and the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM) Book Award for Constructive Philosophy. Recent books include Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Pink Integer Books, 2020) and Philo-Sophia: Wisdom Goddess Traditions (Lotus Press, 2021), co-edited with CIIS emeritus President, Robert McDermott. More updated information on his talks, publications and other academic activities may be found at his website www.debashishbanerji.com. EWP Podcast Credits East-West Psychology Podcast Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (EWP PhD candidate) Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Migration, by Justin Gray's Synthesis on Monsoon-Music Online Record Label Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

More than half the world's population currently lives in cities, and current estimates suggest that by 2050 nearly 7 out of every 10 people will live in urban spaces. In an increasingly crowded and urbanized world, space has become a precious commodity. As a species, we seem drawn to cities, despite their obvious disadvantages. From the ancient cities of Southeast Asia to the crowded streets of modern Los Angeles, cities offer opportunities for interactions that wouldn't be possible in urban areas. In this episode, we sit down with Professor Monica Smith, who shares her perspective on the importance of infrastructure and shared spaces in the birth and survival of cities past and present. How do cities affect the way that we interact with the natural environment and with our fellow human beings, and how can we think creatively about shared spaces in crowded urban environments? Dr. Monica L. Smith is a professor and Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair in Indian Studies at UCLA. She is an ancient economic historian who uses archaeological data to analyze the collective effects of routine activities through the study of food, ordinary goods, and architecture. Her current research focuses on the Indian subcontinent, a region that has produced some of the world's earliest and most long-lived urban areas. Her most recent book was published by Viking Press in 2019, and is titled “Cities: The First 6000 Years.”

In today's very special podcast we will re-air a discussion that was originally recorded and produced by our good friends at the East-West Psychology Department of the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) for their own program, the East-West Psychology Podcast (https://east-westpsychologypodcast.com/). The discussion itself is an introduction to a set of two conferences to be held at the California Institute of Integral Studies in celebration of “150 Years of Sri Aurobindo, the Pioneer of Integral Consciousness.” The conferences will take place over the course of a week, starting on September 23, 2023 and concluding on September 30. This discussion is hosted by the East-West Psychology Podcast producers, Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay. In this conversation, Circle for Original Thinking host and current Jean Gebser Society president, Glenn Aparicio Parry is a guest, along with Debashish Banerji, Chairman of the East-West Psychology Department. We hope this program will provide our listeners with some background on these very important conferences, and the life and work of Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) who was the key figure in the development of a form of spiritual practice he called  “integral yoga,” as well as the life and work of the Swiss philosopher and visionary, Jean Gebser, author of the magnum opus, The Everpresent Origin. THE CONFERENCES: The first conference, “Sustainability and Contemplative Civilization: The Integral Vision of Sri Aurobindo,” organized by the East-West Psychology Department (EWP) and the Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies concentration (ACTS), will engage with the possibilities, problems and potential of a sustainable civilization based on a contemplative praxis of deep relationality and extended identity as implicit in the vision and teaching of Sri Aurobindo and as explicit in the experimental community of Auroville.   The second conference, “The Emergence of Integral Consciousness: Jean Gebser, Sri Aurobindo, Carl Jung, Teilhard De Chardin,” organized by the Jean Gebser Society, will address the coming integral age as foreseen by Gebser, Aurobindo, Jung, and Teilhard de Chardin. Each of these visionary thinkers in their own way foresaw the emergence of a new structure of consciousness beyond the limits of rational thought. Debashish Banerji is a Bengali scholar and Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at CIIS. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research in Los Angeles, CA.Stephen Julich is currently core faculty in the East-West Psychology Department at the California Institute of Integral Studies where he teaches classes Jungian Depth Psychology and Western Mysticism, Magic and Esotericism.Jonathan Kay is a transcultural musician, and is currently a PhD student in the department of East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco under the mentorship of Dr. Debashish Banerji.We wish to again state our very deep gratitude to the people at the East-West Psychology Department and the California Institute of Integral Studies for the critical work that they do every day, and their generosity in sharing the content of this episode with Circle for Original Thinking. For more information about the conferences:https://www.ciis.edu/events/150-years-of-sri-aurobindo-pioneer-of-integral-consciousnessAlso please visit:https://www.ciis.edu/https://www.ciis.edu/academics/department-east-west-psychologyhttps://east-westpsychologypodcast.com/https://gebser.org/www.jonathankay.ca

Today I talked to Divya Cherian about her article "The Owl and the Occult: Popular Politics and Social Liminality in Early Modern South Asia" published in Comparative Studies in Society and History (June, 2023).  Historians of Islamic occult science and post-Mongol Persianate kingship in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires have in recent years made clear just how central this body of knowledge was to the exercise of imperial power. Alongside, scholarship on tantra has pointed to its diffuse persistence in the early modern period. But what dynamics beyond courts and elite initiates did these investments in occult science and tantra unleash? Through a focus on the seventeenth-century Mughal court and the Rajput polity of Marwar in the eighteenth century, this article weaves together the history of animals with that of harmful magic by non-courtly actors. It demonstrates the blended histories of tantra, Islamicate occult sciences, and folk magic to argue that attributions of liminality encoded people, animals, and things with occult potential. For some, like the owl, this liminality could invite violence and death and for others, like expert male practitioners, it could generate authority. By the eighteenth century, the deployment of practical magic towards harmful or disruptive ends was a political tool wielded not only by kings and elite adepts for state or lineage formation but also by non-courtly subjects and “low”-caste specialists in local social life. States and sovereigns responded to the popular use of harmful magic harshly, aiming to cut off non-courtly access to this resource. If the early modern age was one of new ideologies of universal empire, the deployment of occult power outside the court was inconsistent with the ambitions of the kings of this time. Divya Cherian: An assistant professor in the Department of History at Princeton University. Prof. Cherian is a historian of early modern and colonial South Asia, with interests in social, cultural, and religious history, gender and sexuality, ethics and law, and the local and the everyday. Her research focuses on western India, chiefly on the region that is today Rajasthan. She is the author of Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia (University of California Press, 2023) (Indian edition: Navayana, 2023), winner of the American Institute of Indian Studies' 2022 Joseph W. Elder Prize in the Indian Social Sciences. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the Western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I talked to Divya Cherian about her article "The Owl and the Occult: Popular Politics and Social Liminality in Early Modern South Asia" published in Comparative Studies in Society and History (June, 2023).  Historians of Islamic occult science and post-Mongol Persianate kingship in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires have in recent years made clear just how central this body of knowledge was to the exercise of imperial power. Alongside, scholarship on tantra has pointed to its diffuse persistence in the early modern period. But what dynamics beyond courts and elite initiates did these investments in occult science and tantra unleash? Through a focus on the seventeenth-century Mughal court and the Rajput polity of Marwar in the eighteenth century, this article weaves together the history of animals with that of harmful magic by non-courtly actors. It demonstrates the blended histories of tantra, Islamicate occult sciences, and folk magic to argue that attributions of liminality encoded people, animals, and things with occult potential. For some, like the owl, this liminality could invite violence and death and for others, like expert male practitioners, it could generate authority. By the eighteenth century, the deployment of practical magic towards harmful or disruptive ends was a political tool wielded not only by kings and elite adepts for state or lineage formation but also by non-courtly subjects and “low”-caste specialists in local social life. States and sovereigns responded to the popular use of harmful magic harshly, aiming to cut off non-courtly access to this resource. If the early modern age was one of new ideologies of universal empire, the deployment of occult power outside the court was inconsistent with the ambitions of the kings of this time. Divya Cherian: An assistant professor in the Department of History at Princeton University. Prof. Cherian is a historian of early modern and colonial South Asia, with interests in social, cultural, and religious history, gender and sexuality, ethics and law, and the local and the everyday. Her research focuses on western India, chiefly on the region that is today Rajasthan. She is the author of Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia (University of California Press, 2023) (Indian edition: Navayana, 2023), winner of the American Institute of Indian Studies' 2022 Joseph W. Elder Prize in the Indian Social Sciences. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the Western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

Today I talked to Divya Cherian about her article "The Owl and the Occult: Popular Politics and Social Liminality in Early Modern South Asia" published in Comparative Studies in Society and History (June, 2023).  Historians of Islamic occult science and post-Mongol Persianate kingship in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires have in recent years made clear just how central this body of knowledge was to the exercise of imperial power. Alongside, scholarship on tantra has pointed to its diffuse persistence in the early modern period. But what dynamics beyond courts and elite initiates did these investments in occult science and tantra unleash? Through a focus on the seventeenth-century Mughal court and the Rajput polity of Marwar in the eighteenth century, this article weaves together the history of animals with that of harmful magic by non-courtly actors. It demonstrates the blended histories of tantra, Islamicate occult sciences, and folk magic to argue that attributions of liminality encoded people, animals, and things with occult potential. For some, like the owl, this liminality could invite violence and death and for others, like expert male practitioners, it could generate authority. By the eighteenth century, the deployment of practical magic towards harmful or disruptive ends was a political tool wielded not only by kings and elite adepts for state or lineage formation but also by non-courtly subjects and “low”-caste specialists in local social life. States and sovereigns responded to the popular use of harmful magic harshly, aiming to cut off non-courtly access to this resource. If the early modern age was one of new ideologies of universal empire, the deployment of occult power outside the court was inconsistent with the ambitions of the kings of this time. Divya Cherian: An assistant professor in the Department of History at Princeton University. Prof. Cherian is a historian of early modern and colonial South Asia, with interests in social, cultural, and religious history, gender and sexuality, ethics and law, and the local and the everyday. Her research focuses on western India, chiefly on the region that is today Rajasthan. She is the author of Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia (University of California Press, 2023) (Indian edition: Navayana, 2023), winner of the American Institute of Indian Studies' 2022 Joseph W. Elder Prize in the Indian Social Sciences. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the Western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I talked to Divya Cherian about her article "The Owl and the Occult: Popular Politics and Social Liminality in Early Modern South Asia" published in Comparative Studies in Society and History (June, 2023).  Historians of Islamic occult science and post-Mongol Persianate kingship in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires have in recent years made clear just how central this body of knowledge was to the exercise of imperial power. Alongside, scholarship on tantra has pointed to its diffuse persistence in the early modern period. But what dynamics beyond courts and elite initiates did these investments in occult science and tantra unleash? Through a focus on the seventeenth-century Mughal court and the Rajput polity of Marwar in the eighteenth century, this article weaves together the history of animals with that of harmful magic by non-courtly actors. It demonstrates the blended histories of tantra, Islamicate occult sciences, and folk magic to argue that attributions of liminality encoded people, animals, and things with occult potential. For some, like the owl, this liminality could invite violence and death and for others, like expert male practitioners, it could generate authority. By the eighteenth century, the deployment of practical magic towards harmful or disruptive ends was a political tool wielded not only by kings and elite adepts for state or lineage formation but also by non-courtly subjects and “low”-caste specialists in local social life. States and sovereigns responded to the popular use of harmful magic harshly, aiming to cut off non-courtly access to this resource. If the early modern age was one of new ideologies of universal empire, the deployment of occult power outside the court was inconsistent with the ambitions of the kings of this time. Divya Cherian: An assistant professor in the Department of History at Princeton University. Prof. Cherian is a historian of early modern and colonial South Asia, with interests in social, cultural, and religious history, gender and sexuality, ethics and law, and the local and the everyday. Her research focuses on western India, chiefly on the region that is today Rajasthan. She is the author of Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia (University of California Press, 2023) (Indian edition: Navayana, 2023), winner of the American Institute of Indian Studies' 2022 Joseph W. Elder Prize in the Indian Social Sciences. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the Western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Today I talked to Divya Cherian about her article "The Owl and the Occult: Popular Politics and Social Liminality in Early Modern South Asia" published in Comparative Studies in Society and History (June, 2023).  Historians of Islamic occult science and post-Mongol Persianate kingship in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires have in recent years made clear just how central this body of knowledge was to the exercise of imperial power. Alongside, scholarship on tantra has pointed to its diffuse persistence in the early modern period. But what dynamics beyond courts and elite initiates did these investments in occult science and tantra unleash? Through a focus on the seventeenth-century Mughal court and the Rajput polity of Marwar in the eighteenth century, this article weaves together the history of animals with that of harmful magic by non-courtly actors. It demonstrates the blended histories of tantra, Islamicate occult sciences, and folk magic to argue that attributions of liminality encoded people, animals, and things with occult potential. For some, like the owl, this liminality could invite violence and death and for others, like expert male practitioners, it could generate authority. By the eighteenth century, the deployment of practical magic towards harmful or disruptive ends was a political tool wielded not only by kings and elite adepts for state or lineage formation but also by non-courtly subjects and “low”-caste specialists in local social life. States and sovereigns responded to the popular use of harmful magic harshly, aiming to cut off non-courtly access to this resource. If the early modern age was one of new ideologies of universal empire, the deployment of occult power outside the court was inconsistent with the ambitions of the kings of this time. Divya Cherian: An assistant professor in the Department of History at Princeton University. Prof. Cherian is a historian of early modern and colonial South Asia, with interests in social, cultural, and religious history, gender and sexuality, ethics and law, and the local and the everyday. Her research focuses on western India, chiefly on the region that is today Rajasthan. She is the author of Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia (University of California Press, 2023) (Indian edition: Navayana, 2023), winner of the American Institute of Indian Studies' 2022 Joseph W. Elder Prize in the Indian Social Sciences. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the Western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Cosmopolitan Cultures and Oceanic Thought (Routledge, 2023) imagines the ocean as central to understanding the world and its connections in history, literature, and the social sciences. Introducing the central conceptual category of the ocean as a method, it analyzes the histories of movement and traversing across connected spaces of water and land sedimented in literary texts, folklore, local histories, autobiographies, music, and performance. It explores the constant flow of people, materials, and ideologies across the waters and how they make their presence felt in cosmopolitan thinking of the connections of the world. Going beyond violent histories of slavery and indenture that generate global connections, it tracks the movements of sailors, boatmen, religious teachers, merchants, and adventurers. The essays in this volume summon up this miscegenated history in which land and water are ever linked. A significant rethinking of world history, this volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of history, especially connected history and maritime history, literature, and Global South studies. Dilip M. Menon is a historian and currently the Mellon Chair in Indian Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. South Africa. Nishat Zaidi is a Professor and former Head of the Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, Near Eastern Studies Department. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Cosmopolitan Cultures and Oceanic Thought (Routledge, 2023) imagines the ocean as central to understanding the world and its connections in history, literature, and the social sciences. Introducing the central conceptual category of the ocean as a method, it analyzes the histories of movement and traversing across connected spaces of water and land sedimented in literary texts, folklore, local histories, autobiographies, music, and performance. It explores the constant flow of people, materials, and ideologies across the waters and how they make their presence felt in cosmopolitan thinking of the connections of the world. Going beyond violent histories of slavery and indenture that generate global connections, it tracks the movements of sailors, boatmen, religious teachers, merchants, and adventurers. The essays in this volume summon up this miscegenated history in which land and water are ever linked. A significant rethinking of world history, this volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of history, especially connected history and maritime history, literature, and Global South studies. Dilip M. Menon is a historian and currently the Mellon Chair in Indian Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. South Africa. Nishat Zaidi is a Professor and former Head of the Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, Near Eastern Studies Department. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Cosmopolitan Cultures and Oceanic Thought (Routledge, 2023) imagines the ocean as central to understanding the world and its connections in history, literature, and the social sciences. Introducing the central conceptual category of the ocean as a method, it analyzes the histories of movement and traversing across connected spaces of water and land sedimented in literary texts, folklore, local histories, autobiographies, music, and performance. It explores the constant flow of people, materials, and ideologies across the waters and how they make their presence felt in cosmopolitan thinking of the connections of the world. Going beyond violent histories of slavery and indenture that generate global connections, it tracks the movements of sailors, boatmen, religious teachers, merchants, and adventurers. The essays in this volume summon up this miscegenated history in which land and water are ever linked. A significant rethinking of world history, this volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of history, especially connected history and maritime history, literature, and Global South studies. Dilip M. Menon is a historian and currently the Mellon Chair in Indian Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. South Africa. Nishat Zaidi is a Professor and former Head of the Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, Near Eastern Studies Department. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Cosmopolitan Cultures and Oceanic Thought (Routledge, 2023) imagines the ocean as central to understanding the world and its connections in history, literature, and the social sciences. Introducing the central conceptual category of the ocean as a method, it analyzes the histories of movement and traversing across connected spaces of water and land sedimented in literary texts, folklore, local histories, autobiographies, music, and performance. It explores the constant flow of people, materials, and ideologies across the waters and how they make their presence felt in cosmopolitan thinking of the connections of the world. Going beyond violent histories of slavery and indenture that generate global connections, it tracks the movements of sailors, boatmen, religious teachers, merchants, and adventurers. The essays in this volume summon up this miscegenated history in which land and water are ever linked. A significant rethinking of world history, this volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of history, especially connected history and maritime history, literature, and Global South studies. Dilip M. Menon is a historian and currently the Mellon Chair in Indian Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. South Africa. Nishat Zaidi is a Professor and former Head of the Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. Ahmed Yaqoub AlMaazmi is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, Near Eastern Studies Department. His research focuses on the intersection of law, the occult sciences, and the environment across the western Indian Ocean. He can be reached by email at almaazmi@princeton.edu or on Twitter @Ahmed_Yaqoub. Listeners' feedback, questions, and book suggestions are most welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Amy is joined by Dr. Srimati Basu to discuss her book The Trouble With Marriage: Feminists Confront Law and Violence in India and explore the complicated gender politics behind divorce.Srimati Basu is a Professor of Gender and Women's Studies and Anthropology, and a member of the Committee on Social Theory. She serves as the President of the Association for Feminist Anthropology, 2021-2023. Srimati has an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. from Ohio State University in Cultural Studies/ Anthropology/ Women's Studies, and her teaching, research and community work interests include Global Feminisms, Law, Gender-Based Violence, Social Movements, Feminist Methodologies, and Masculinities. At present, she is writing a monograph on anti-feminist men's rights groups, following a 2013-14 Fulbright Fellowship to conduct fieldwork with MRAs across Indian cities. She has recently begun a research project on Indian women private detectives with fellowships from National Endowment for Humanities/ American Institute of Indian Studies and from Sisters in Crime.

In this episode 62 CHRISTIANITY FOR HINDUS, Professor Dr. Arvind Sharma discusses his book Christianity For Hindus, similarities and differences between the two religions, meaning, and much more. ===Arvind Sharma is the Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University and is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest thinkers. Sharma published over 100 books and over 500 scholalry articles. He specializes in comparative religion, Hinduism, Indian philosophy and ethics, and the role of women in religion. Pursuing a life-long interest in comparative religion, he gained an M.T.S. in 1974 and then a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard University in 1978. ====Arvind Sharma in the MEDIA:Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_...Homepage; https://www.arvindsharma.orgTwitter; https://twitter.com/aravindasharmaFB; https://www.facebook.com/ProfArvindSharma===Arvind Sharma's Books:An Accidental Theodicy (SUNY Press, 2019) Human Rights As a Western Concept (DK Print World, 2007) To the Things Themselves: Essays on the Discourse and Practice of the Phenomenology of Religion (Religion and Reason Book 39) The Shashwat Saga : A journey into the Unknown (Kindle Edition) Four Testaments: Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Bhagavad Gita: Sacred Scriptures of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2017) The Legacy of Wilfred Cantwell Smith (State University of New York Press, 2018) Sati: Historical and phenomenological essays (Motilal Banarsidass, 1988)A Hindu Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion (Palgrave Macmillan, 1990) Our Religions: The Seven World Religions Introduced by Preeminent Scholars from Each Tradition The Experiential Dimension of Advaita Vedanta A Guide to Hindu Spirituality Religious Tolerance: A History The Study of Hinduism The Annual Review of Women in World Religions: Heroic Women (State University of New York Press, 1992)The Experiential Dimension of Advaita Vedanta (Motilal Banarsidass, 1993)Today's Woman in World Religions (State University of New York Press, 1994)The Little Clay Cart (State University of New York Press, 1994)Our Religions: The Seven World Religions Introduced by Preeminent Scholars from Each Tradition (HarperOne, 1994)Women in World Religions (South Asia Books, 1995)The Philosophy of Religion: A Buddhist Perspective (Oxford University Press, 1997)Neo-Hindu Views of ChristianityThe Concept of Universal Religion in Modern Hindu Thought (Palgrave Macmillan, 1998)Feminism and World ReligionsA Dome of Many Colors: Studies in Religious Pluralism, Identity, and UnityClassical Hindu Thought: An Introduction The Annual Review of Women in World Religions (Annual Review of Women in World Religions)Sati: Historical and Phenomenological EssaysHinduism and Secularism: After AyodhyaReligion in a Secular City: Essays in Honor of Harvey CoxWomen in Indian ReligionsAdvaita Vedanta: An IntroductionHinduism and Human Rights: A Conceptual ApproachHer Voice, Her Faith: Women Speak On World ReligionsThe Buddhism Omnibus: Comprising Gautama Buddha, The Dhammapada, and The Philosophy of Religion Modern Hindu Thought: An IntroductionAre Human Rights Western?: A Contribution to the Dialogue of CivilizationsHindu Egalitarianism: Equality or Justice?Christianity and Human Rights: Influences and IssuesA New Curve in the GangesYouTube Videos of Arvind Sharma: 

We talk to Sergey Serebryany, my uncle. He is a Doctor of Philosophy and a professor of Indian Studies at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow. He is also a Soviet Jew. We talk about his experience growing up in Moscow, about the myths of state-sponsored anti-Semitism, his relationship to Soviet and Jewish identity, and why unlike many others who became disenchanted with the Soviet project he didn't re-Jewify but stayed true to his Homo Soveticus origins.—EvgeniaA couple of notes.We mention a letter about Jewish identity that Sergey wrote to his South African Jewish colleague.You can check Yasha's The Soviet Jew book project here. The part of the history that deals with the western campaign to “save” Soviet Jews can be found here. Yasha mentioned Elie Wiesel and his trip to Moscow in the late 1960s, which resulted in a book that describes Soviet Jews as basically being on the brink of annihilation. You can read his write up of that book and the Israeli propaganda campaign that helped produce it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit yasha.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Feminist Food Stories, editor Isabela sits down with Charlotte Coté, Professor in the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington and author of A Drum in One Hand, A Sockeye in the Other: Stories of Indigenous Food Sovereignty from the Northwest Coast. They discuss the role of gender in Indigenous food sovereignty in both the past and present, the risks of “culinary imperialism” in blanket calls to veganize our diets, how social media enables Indigenous peoples to tell their own stories about food, and the ways that going back to the land with a “colonized” mindset can lead to missed opportunities for true connection.TranscriptFull transcript of the podcast available here.Shownotes and further resourcesCoté, C (2022). A Drum in One Hand, a Sockeye in the Other: Stories of Indigenous Food Sovereignty from the Northwest Coast. University of Washington Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv289dw4pCoté, C. (2022, Oct 17). ḥačatakma c̓awaak (everything is interconnected). Indigenous food sovereignty, health, resilience and sustainability. Talk given at President's Dream Colloquium on Indigenous Peoples and Local Community Perspectives on Sustainability and Resilience. Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, Vancouver.Coté, C. (2022, Oct 6). “c̓uumaʕas. The River that Runs through Us”. Talk given at the Oregon Humanities Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.Coté, C. (2022, Sep 28). UO Today interview: Charlotte Coté (Tseshaht First Nation), Amer. Indian Studies, University of Washington. University of Oregon.Coté, C. (2022, March 16). Exploring Indigenous Food Sovereignty with Dr. Charlotte Coté. MOHAI History Café. Download program transcript: https://adobe.ly/3PGcnPsCoté, C. (2022, March 3). Charlotte Coté with Dana Arviso: Stories of Indigenous Food Sovereignty from the NW Town Hall Seattle.Coté, C. (2019). hishuk'ish tsawalk—Everything is One: Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9(A), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2019.09A.003Nast, C. (2020, November 8). This Inukj Throat Singer is Bringing Cultural Pride to TikTok. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/shina-novalinga-indigenous-inuk-throat-singer-tiktok This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.feministfoodjournal.com/subscribe

In this episode we speak with East-West Psychology chair Debashish Banerji to discuss the foundations of a new concentration in the EWP department titled Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies (ACTS). Debashish shares his vision of a postcolonial pedagogy in which to ground this discourse, and we discuss how this concentration can situate academic and creative approaches to posthuman world-making. He shares the importance of understanding Asian contemplative traditions in critical relationships to the forces of western globalization and neoliberal capitalism which overdetermine Asian cultures through unconscious structures such as orientalist essentialization, reduction, and projection. Debashish illustrates this idea by describing how a western understanding of Yoga asana within the holistic health and well-being culture industry has been largely appropriated, co-oped by capital, and deterritorialized from its historical roots in which Indian yogasana was initially a micro-political praxis of subjective freedom and self-making based on the goals of anti-colonialist struggles. We ask how the potentials and traces of previous cultural renaissances and revolutions can productively aid in an aspiration to build a new posthuman habitus while avoiding the dangers of being folded back into dependance upon regimes of capital. Debashish speaks of the importance of the arts in ACTS, and shares how the arts can provide affective experiences which can open one to new liminal languages and performative and experimental concepts which can aid in psycho-cosmological world-making. Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the Pasadena City College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in postmodern, postcolonial and cross-cultural approaches to Indian philosophy, psychology and culture. Banerji has curated close to fifteen exhibitions of Indian and Japanese art. He has authored and edited around ten books and art catalogs on major figures of "the Bengal Renaissance" such as the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, the artist Abanindranath Tagore and the spiritual thinker Sri Aurobindo; on Critical Posthumanism, Yoga Psychology and on a variety of creative and art-related projects. His most recent books are Integral Yoga Psychology: Metaphysics and Transformation as Taught by Sri Aurobindo (Lotus Press, 2020) and Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Sri Aurobindo Samity and Maha Bodhi Publishers, 2019), and Seven Quartets of Becoming: A Transformative Yoga Psychology based on the Diaries of Sri Aurobindo (DK Printworld, 2012). The EWP Podcast credits East-West Psychology Podcast Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Prologue: The Symbols Dawn & Canto One: Sages Creation, from the album Experiments of Truth, by Kayos Theory Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this episode we speak with East-West Psychology chair Debashish Banerji to discuss the foundations of a new concentration in the EWP department titled Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies (ACTS). Debashish shares his vision of a postcolonial pedagogy in which to ground this discourse, and we discuss how this concentration can situate academic and creative approaches to posthuman world-making. He shares the importance of understanding Asian contemplative traditions in critical relationships to the forces of western globalization and neoliberal capitalism which overdetermine Asian cultures through unconscious structures such as orientalist essentialization, reduction, and projection. Debashish illustrates this idea by describing how a western understanding of Yoga asana within the holistic health and well-being culture industry has been largely appropriated, co-oped by capital, and deterritorialized from its historical roots in which Indian yogasana was initially a micro-political praxis of subjective freedom and self-making based on the goals of anti-colonialist struggles. We ask how the potentials and traces of previous cultural renaissances and revolutions can productively aid in an aspiration to build a new posthuman habitus while avoiding the dangers of being folded back into dependance upon regimes of capital. Debashish speaks of the importance of the arts in ACTS, and shares how the arts can provide affective experiences which can open one to new liminal languages and performative and experimental concepts which can aid in psycho-cosmological world-making. Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the Pasadena City College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in postmodern, postcolonial and cross-cultural approaches to Indian philosophy, psychology and culture. Banerji has curated close to fifteen exhibitions of Indian and Japanese art. He has authored and edited around ten books and art catalogs on major figures of "the Bengal Renaissance" such as the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, the artist Abanindranath Tagore and the spiritual thinker Sri Aurobindo; on Critical Posthumanism, Yoga Psychology and on a variety of creative and art-related projects. His most recent books are Integral Yoga Psychology: Metaphysics and Transformation as Taught by Sri Aurobindo (Lotus Press, 2020) and Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Sri Aurobindo Samity and Maha Bodhi Publishers, 2019), and Seven Quartets of Becoming: A Transformative Yoga Psychology based on the Diaries of Sri Aurobindo (DK Printworld, 2012). The EWP Podcast credits East-West Psychology Podcast Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Prologue: The Symbols Dawn & Canto One: Sages Creation, from the album Experiments of Truth, by Kayos Theory Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diana Eck, a professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University, leads The Pluralism Project, a research center that explores and interprets the religious dimensions of immigration; the growth of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, and Zoroastrian communities in the United States; and the issues of religious pluralism and American civil society. Nearly 25 years after Eboo cold-called her to discuss his idea for a new interfaith organization, they reflect on their shared commitment to pluralism.Guest Bio: Diana L. Eck is a scholar of religious studies who is a Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University, a former faculty dean of Lowell House, and the Director of The Pluralism Project at Harvard. Eck received the National Humanities Award from President Clinton and the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1998, the Montana Governor's Humanities Award in 2003, and the Melcher Lifetime Achievement Award from the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2003. From 2005–06 she served as president of the American Academy of Religion.Visit Interfaith America to learn more about the organization and our podcast. Apply for a $250 grant to host a podcast listening party or win a $25 gift card for sharing your feedback. Learn more. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with new episodes, interfaith stories, and our programs.

My guest this month is Robert Zydenbos, who is Professor of Modern Indology at the LMU Munich. (Full disclosure: we thus are colleagues!)His first point of contact with Indian languages and philosophies was through Collier's Encyclopaedia. It introduced him to such ideas as rebirth, a concept found in various traditions (see e.g. here, here or here)His first degree was in Indian Studies at the University of Utrecht, at an institute that developed into a centre of Tantric Studies and that has in the meantime been closed.  His teachers included Jan Gonda, T. Goudriaan , Henk Bodewitz,  Leen van Dalen , George Chemparathy, Kamil Zvelebil, Sanjukta Gupta, Karel van Kooij. He did his PhD and much subsequent work in Mysore, where he frequently visited the university and the Oriental Research Institute; and whereas his early interest in Jainism brought him to Karnataka, he also studied religious currents such as Vīraśaivism and Mādhva Vaiṣṇavism. Through his close acquaintance with Bannanje Govindacharya, he began working on Madhvācārya and his writings, also those concerning the Bhagavadgītā. (The article he mentions may be found here.)He would use the SSPRG, the Sanskrit Studies Podcast Research Grant, to learn Old Javanese. For anyone interested in learning about Sanskrit  for the first time, he recommends Pierre-Sylvain Filliozat's Le sanskrit/The Sanskrit Language.

This year we have been celebrating a history of scholarship in and through AIIS – exploring the narratives within the walls of the institute and the conversations that have happened thanks to the support of AIIS. In this episode, we turn from history to current research that highlights collaboration and co-creation, a foundational piece of what makes AIIS the American Institute of Indian Studies.Join us for a discussion on forms of home inspired by the 2016 collaborative conference between Elon University and the University of Madras entitled “To Take Place: Culture, Religion and Home-Making in and Beyond South Asia.” In this conference, “speakers addressed the means and practices by which migrants, displaced persons and various other subcommunities in South Asia establish physical, conceptual and emotional spaces that put them at home or give rise to conflict with other groups.”With conference co-creators Amy Allocco and James Ponniah we look to how AIIS has supported various forms of institutional collaboration, how concepts of the home shift in spaces and places, and how to successfully build a base (or home) from which to build long-lasting dialog and partners in scholarship.The following interview is taken from a webinar that took place virtually on November 4, 2022.*Transcript coming soon*Produced by AIISMusic “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

This year we have been celebrating a history of scholarship in and through AIIS - exploring the narratives within the walls of the institute and the conversations that have happened thanks to the support of AIIS. In this episode, we turn from history to current research that highlights collaboration and co-creation, a foundational piece of what makes AIIS the American Institute of Indian Studies.The Nilgiris Field Learning Program (NFLP)  connects “Cornell faculty and students with practitioners and community members in the Nilgiris, the “blue hills” of southern India. Since 2015, the NFLC learning community has explored a range of issues around sustainability, conservation, livelihoods and education in a region recognized for its biodiversity.” Program members Neema Kudva, Andrew Willford, Pratim Roy, and Anita Varghese join us to explore how AIIS has supported this collaborative work, research methods in ethnographic collaboration and co-creation, what it means to work at the intersection of climate change, health, well-being, development, and study abroad. The following interview is taken from a webinar that took place virtually on October 4, 2022 and is part 1 of 2 webinars this fall featuring India-US collaboration and AIIS.*Transcript coming soon*Produced by AIISMusic “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

Coté is from the Nuu-chah-nulth community of Tseshaht on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Coté has dedicated her personal and academic life to creating awareness around Indigenous health and wellness issues and in working with Indigenous peoples and communities in revitalizing their traditional foodways. Her current book, A Drum in one Hand, A Sockeye in the Other: Stories of Indigenous Food Sovereignty from the Northwest Coast (UW Press, 2022) examines how cultural foods play a major role in physical, emotional, spiritual, and dietary wellness.

Our sponsor for this episode is Momence, the booking system we use for yoga classes, workshops, events, etc.  From independent teachers wanting to take bookings and payments online to multi-site studios wanting to replace outdated and expensive systems, Momence is easy to use for you and your customers.  It reduces hours of admin and offers live chat help.  For a 2-month free trial, click the link:  https://momence.com/lp/keen-on-yoga  James Mallinson is Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical and Indian Studies at SOAS, University of London. His interest in yoga grew out of a fascination for India and Indian asceticism – he spent several years living with Indian ascetics and yogis, in particular Rāmānandī Tyāgīs. His MA thesis, part of a major in ethnography, was on Indian asceticism. He became frustrated, however, with (to quote Sheldon Pollock) the “hypertrophy of method” that afflicts much of the humanities, and anthropology in particular, so sought to ground his future research in philology. The one aspect of ascetic practice that is well represented in Sanskrit texts is yoga, so for his doctoral thesis he chose to edit an early text on haṭhayoga, the Khecarīvidyā, which teaches in detail khecarīmudrā, one of traditional haṭhayoga's most important practices, and he used fieldwork among traditional yogis in India to shed light on the text's teachings. As he worked on his thesis he became more and more unsure that the received wisdom on the origins of haṭhayoga (whose practices form the basis of much of modern yoga) was correct, in particular its blanket attribution to the Nāth sect, based as that wisdom was on a very small selection of the available texts and modern oral history (which is rarely a reliable source in India). But it was clear that to put his work in the broader context was going to be impossible while working on his thesis. When he was revising it for publication a few years after completing it, he was asked to contribute to a volume on the Nāths and their literature. He agreed and decided to concentrate on the corpus of texts of haṭhayoga. It soon became apparent that this was going to be too big a task for a single chapter of a book and he apologised to the volume's editor but continued with his research. Four years on he has identified a corpus of eight works that teach early haṭhayoga and about a dozen more that contribute to its classical formulation in the Haṭhapradīpikā. With this philological basis established it has been possible at last to put all of haṭhayoga's aspects into context, which is what he is doing in the monograph on which he is currently working, Yoga and Yogis: The Texts, Techniques and Practitioners of Early Haṭhayoga. Many of the conclusions that can be drawn from the corpus and the other sources he uses (from Mughal miniatures to his fieldwork amongst traditional yogis) overturn what was previously thought about yoga's formative period. Although he has decided to present the bulk of the findings in a single monograph (because its parts are all so interdependent), in the course of working on it he has written various spin-off articles and reviews on specific aspects of haṭhayoga. Between September 2015-2020, Mallinson was the Principle Investigator of The Haṭha Yoga Project (HYP), a five-year research project funded by the European Research Council and based at SOAS, University of London which aims to chart the history of physical yoga practice by means of philology, i.e. the study of texts on yoga, and ethnography, i.e. fieldwork among practitioners of yoga. From January 2021, Mallison has been the lead on three year project entitled “Light on Hatha Yoga: A critical edition and translation of the Haṭhapradīpikā, the most important premodern text on physical yoga” funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the German Research Foundation Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). He has been interviewed on yoga for BBC Radio on Beyond Belief and for the Secret History of Yoga. More information about Dr Mallinson's work, his CV and publications, many of them downloadable, can be found here, and on his website: www.khecari.com ************************************************************************ SUPPORT US Donate: https://keenonyoga.com/donate/ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/infoRf CONNECT WITH KEEN ON YOGA Instagram Keen on Yoga: https://www.instagram.com/keen_on_yoga/ Instagram Adam Keen: https://www.instagram.com/adam_keen_ashtanga/ Website: https://keenonyoga.com/ Workshops: https://keenonyoga.com/workshops/ MEMBERSHIP https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet ups with Adam & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.

Deeper Dialogues // Shadow work & Tantra - How to not get addicted to peak experiences? I like the spiritual path. I like the tantric path. I like to see how my body opens up and how I am able to experience life more fully. But over the years I see more and more pitfalls that come with spiritual practice. I do things that feel good, but how do I know they render structural, real life improvement of my day to day life quality? I see myself getting attached to peak experiences (in a sexual and in a spiritual sense). I see how my growing capacity for deep meditation get's highjacked by the ego to feel myself just a little bit better than the 'normal' people. For me, this is where why Shadow Work is so important in any spiritual practice, because it prevents me falling into these traps. In this conversation I talk with tantrica and men's empowerment coach Isabell Froe about the beauty and the risks of walking the tantric path. Questions covered What is Shadow Work? Why is Shadow Work relevant in tantra? Spoiler: it prevents you getting addicted to it's peak experiences. Shadow work & Sexuality: why are we sometime afraid to step into our wilder, more raw side of sexuality? How therapy strengthens spiritual practice, and how spiritual practice stimulates therapy. About Isabell Froe Isabel is an experienced tantrica and works with men to step into their authentic masculine power. She holds a MA degree in Indian Studies, completed various Tantra Trainings, studied Yoga Therapy, Ayurveda Medicine & Stress Management and runs workshops & retreats all over the world. Insta: @isabell.froe About Sjors Boelaars I am the founder of Tara Academy, a school for tantra and shadow work. In my work as a coach and therapist I guide conscious leaders to deepen their sex, emotions, purpose and relationships. See here for more info about my signature 1:1 Program 'Deeper'. I hold a master in Philosophy and am a certified 'Feeding your Demons' therapist (by Lama Tsultrim Allione). I combine modern tantric methods (based on Osho as though by Centre for Tantra in Amsterdam) with classical linneage practices (mainly Kaula Trika linneague) as thought by my main teacher Hareesh Christopher Wallis. More info about me and my work: www.tara.academy Insta: @tara.academy_

This year, the American Institute of Indian Studies turns 60! To celebrate the history of AIIS, we have launched a year-long series of audio interviews exploring the history of AIIS over the last 60 years including the founding of the institute, its impact on scholarship and students, and the future of AIIS. In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, Sandria Freitag, Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of History at NC State University and leader of the CAORC-AIIS faculty development seminars, interviews Thomas Metcalf, Emeritus Professor of History and Sarah Kailath Professor of Indian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and former AIIS Senior fellow and Chair of the Board of Trustees. In their interview, they reminisce about the early days of AIIS research fellowships, the memorable relationships created through AIIS over the years, and the forms AIIS programs should take in the future.Visit aiis60.org to explore interactive timelines, a founding history of AIIS, information on centers and programs, and to stay up to date on AIIS 60th anniversary events.*Transcript coming soon*Produced by AIISMusic “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

Today, we will be speaking with Debashish Banerji, chair of the East-West Psychology department. We will discuss the history and mission of The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), of the East-West Psychology Department, and the nature and value of Integral Education. In the conversation, Debashish develops ideas regarding Sri Aurobindo's vision of an Integral consciousness and how that can be approached through an Integral and immanent hermeneutic based on existential goals of becoming. Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the Pasadena City College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in postmodern, postcolonial and cross-cultural approaches to Indian philosophy, psychology and culture. Banerji has curated close to fifteen exhibitions of Indian and Japanese art. He has authored and edited around ten books and art catalogs on major figures of "the Bengal Renaissance" such as the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, the artist Abanindranath Tagore and the spiritual thinker Sri Aurobindo; on Critical Posthumanism, Yoga Psychology and on a variety of creative and art-related projects. His most recent books are Integral Yoga Psychology: Metaphysics and Transformation as Taught by Sri Aurobindo (Lotus Press, 2020) and Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Sri Aurobindo Samity and Maha Bodhi Publishers, 2019). Debashish Banerji: Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP adjunct faculty, program manager) and Jonathan Kay (PhD student, EWP assistant) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today, we will be speaking with Debashish Banerji, chair of the East-West Psychology department. We will discuss the history and mission of The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), of the East-West Psychology Department, and the nature and value of Integral Education. In the conversation, Debashish develops ideas regarding Sri Aurobindo's vision of an Integral consciousness and how that can be approached through an Integral and immanent hermeneutic based on existential goals of becoming. Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the Pasadena City College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in postmodern, postcolonial and cross-cultural approaches to Indian philosophy, psychology and culture. Banerji has curated close to fifteen exhibitions of Indian and Japanese art. He has authored and edited around ten books and art catalogs on major figures of "the Bengal Renaissance" such as the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, the artist Abanindranath Tagore and the spiritual thinker Sri Aurobindo; on Critical Posthumanism, Yoga Psychology and on a variety of creative and art-related projects. His most recent books are Integral Yoga Psychology: Metaphysics and Transformation as Taught by Sri Aurobindo (Lotus Press, 2020) and Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Sri Aurobindo Samity and Maha Bodhi Publishers, 2019), and Seven Quartets of Becoming: A Transformative Yoga Psychology based on the Diaries of Sri Aurobindo (DK Printworld, 2012). Debashish Banerji: Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP adjunct faculty, program manager) and Jonathan Kay (PhD student, EWP assistant) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we will be speaking with Debashish Banerji, chair of the East-West Psychology department. We will discuss the history and mission of The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), of the East-West Psychology Department, and the nature and value of Integral Education. In the conversation, Debashish develops ideas regarding Sri Aurobindo's vision of an Integral consciousness and how that can be approached through an Integral and immanent hermeneutic based on existential goals of becoming. Debashish Banerji is the Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and the Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is also the Program Chair for the East-West Psychology department. Prior to CIIS, he served as Professor of Indian Studies and Dean of Academics at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the Pasadena City College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in postmodern, postcolonial and cross-cultural approaches to Indian philosophy, psychology and culture. Banerji has curated close to fifteen exhibitions of Indian and Japanese art. He has authored and edited around ten books and art catalogs on major figures of "the Bengal Renaissance" such as the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, the artist Abanindranath Tagore and the spiritual thinker Sri Aurobindo; on Critical Posthumanism, Yoga Psychology and on a variety of creative and art-related projects. His most recent books are Integral Yoga Psychology: Metaphysics and Transformation as Taught by Sri Aurobindo (Lotus Press, 2020) and Meditations on the Isha Upanishad: Tracing the Philosophical Vision of Sri Aurobindo (Sri Aurobindo Samity and Maha Bodhi Publishers, 2019). Debashish Banerji: Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP adjunct faculty, program manager) and Jonathan Kay (PhD student, EWP assistant) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

Arvind Sharma is the Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University and is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest thinkers. Sharma published over 100 books and over 500 scholalry articles. He specializes in comparative religion, Hinduism, Indian philosophy and ethics, and the role of women in religion. Pursuing a life-long interest in comparative religion, he gained an M.T.S. in 1974 and then a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard University in 1978. ====YOUTUBE:S1E34; CLASSICAL HINDU THOUGHT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMtyd0dmnNgTHE Human Experience ARVIND SHARMA S1E2; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1nC3CicT4g&t=71sAN ACCIDENTAL THEODICY S1E21; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM7lYheUFwI&t=4sMAHATMA GANDHI Arvind Sharma S1 FULL E18; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X764a7MlxLg&t=454s===APPLE PODCAST:MAHATMA GANDHI S1E18; https://podcasts.apple.com/ch/podcast/whyknowledgematters/id1566175615?i=1000552703057CLASSICAL HINDU THOUGHT S1E34; https://podcasts.apple.com/ch/podcast/whyknowledgematters/id1566175615?i=1000549978246===MEDIA:Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_...Homepage; https://www.arvindsharma.orgTwitter; https://twitter.com/aravindasharmaFB; https://www.facebook.com/ProfArvindSharma===BOOKS:Arvind Sharma's Books:An Accidental Theodicy (SUNY Press, 2019) Human Rights As a Western Concept (DK Print World, 2007) To the Things Themselves: Essays on the Discourse and Practice of the Phenomenology of Religion (Religion and Reason Book 39) The Shashwat Saga : A journey into the Unknown (Kindle Edition) Four Testaments: Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Bhagavad Gita: Sacred Scriptures of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2017) The Legacy of Wilfred Cantwell Smith (State University of New York Press, 2018) 

Rev. Dr. Timothy Tennent began in 2009 as the President (and Professor of World Christianity) of Asbury Theological Seminary, located in beautiful Wilmore, Kentucky, after serving as the Professor of World Missions and Indian Studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Ordained in the United Methodist Church since 1984, he has pastored in Georgia and New England. As a skilled missiologist with a heart for true Kingdom diversity, he has written a number of books, such as Building Christianity on Indian Foundations, Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology, Invitation to World Missions: A Trinitarian Missiology for the 21st Century, and Christianity at the Religious Roundtable: Evangelicalism in Conversation with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. His most recent book is For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body.He met with wife, Julie, while they were students at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he completed his M.Div. and went on to earn the Th.M. at Princeton Theological Seminary. His Ph.D. is in non-Western Christianity with a focus on Hinduism and Indian Christianity from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with TWU Student MinistriesFollow us on Instagram 

 This year, the American Institute of Indian Studies turns 60! To celebrate the history of AIIS, we have launched a year-long series of audio interviews exploring  the history of AIIS over the last 60 years including the founding of the institute, its impact on scholarship and students, and the future of AIIS. In this episode of our 60th anniversary series, former AIIS President and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Asian and Slavic Languages and Literature at the University of Iowa, Dr. Philip Lutgendorf, interviews Sara Simons of Philadelphia, former Career Advisor in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as former AIIS fellow and current benefactor. In their interview, they discuss the Simons family's many links with AIIS, Sara's memories of the institute and of cultural life in Delhi over the years, and her decision, together with her brother, as longtime friends of AIIS, to support the Junior Fellowship program.Visit aiis60.org to explore interactive timelines, a founding history of AIIS, information on centers and programs, and to stay up to date on AIIS 60th anniversary events.*Transcript coming soon*ERRATA: At one point in this conversation, the play Ghasiram Kotwal is mistakenly attributed to Girish Karnad, rather than Vijay Tendulkar. The discussants apologize for the error.Produced by AIISMusic “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

Arvind Sharma is undoubtedly one of the World's greatest thinkers, especially in the fields of comparative religion, Hinduism, Indian philosophy and ethics, and the role of women in religion. Pursuing a life-long interest in comparative religion, he gained an M.T.S. in 1974 and then a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard University in 1978. Prior to his in-depth training in religion, he earned a B.A. in History, Economics, and Sanskrit from Allahabad University in 1958 and continued his interests in economics at Syracuse University, earning an M.A. in 1970. He was the first Infinity Foundation Visiting Professor of Indic Studies at Harvard University and succeeded Wilfred Cantwell Smith to the Birks Chair of Comparative Religion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He has published over 100 books and five hundred articles in the fields of comparative religion, Hinduism, Indian philosophy and ethics, and the role of women in religion. Prof. Sharma is the recipient of numerious awards and special recognitions. His most recent work is entitled: Religious Tolerance: A History (2019) ===& Gandhi: A Spiritual Biography (Yale University Press, 2013) Arvind Sharma's Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_...Arvind Sharma's Books:An Accidental Theodicy (SUNY Press, 2019) Human Rights As a Western Concept (DK Print World, 2007) To the Things Themselves: Essays on the Discourse and Practice of the Phenomenology of Religion (Religion and Reason Book 39) The Shashwat Saga : A journey into the Unknown (Kindle Edition) Four Testaments: Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Bhagavad Gita: Sacred Scriptures of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2017) The Legacy of Wilfred Cantwell Smith (State University of New York Press, 2018) Sati: Historical and phenomenological essays (Motilal Banarsidass, 1988) A Hindu Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion (Palgrave Macmillan, 1990) Our Religions: The Seven World Religions Introduced by Preeminent Scholars from Each Tradition The Experiential Dimension of Advaita Vedanta 

This year, the American Institute of Indian Studies turns 60! To celebrate the history of AIIS, we have launched a year-long series of audio interviews exploring  the history of AIIS over the last 60 years including the founding of the institute, its impact on scholarship and students, and the future of AIIS. In this inaugural episode of our 60th anniversary series, current AIIS President and James B. Duke Professor of History at Duke University, Dr. Sumathi Ramaswamy, interviews former AIIS president and William Rainey Harper Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, Ralph W. Nicholas. During their interview, they discuss the history of the institute, its founding in a specific political atmosphere, Dr. Nicholas' presidency during a unique time in US-India relations, and the impact of AIIS across scholarly fields.Visit aiis60.org to explore interactive timelines, a founding history of AIIS, information on centers and programs, and to stay up to date on AIIS 60th anniversary events.Produced by AIISMusic “Desh” by Stephen Slawek

Jeffrey Masson is the author of dozens of books,  12 of which have been bestsellers. He is a well known voice in the worlds of animal rights and veganism. In this episode we discuss his most recent book, Lost Companions:Reflections on the Death of Pets, as well as some of his other books on animal behavior and emotions including, When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals, The Pig Who Sang To the Moon, Raising the Peaceable Kingdom, and The Face On Your Plate. With a history in psychoanalysis, Jeffrey has a way of chipping away at things to explore what's going on beneath the surface, and shows us through his research that animals have so much to teach us, if we would only take the time to open our eyes and hearts. Jeffrey pioneered the idea that animals are sentient beings. His scholarly approach to a subject which was for so long disregarded, helped to bring animal rights into the limelight. For any animal lover, Jeffrey's books are a comfort to read. In him, we can all find a kindred spirit.While many of us know him for his work with animals, Jeffrey lived an entirely other life before entering the animal kingdom.  Before his work with animals, Jeffrey received a PhD in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard University, and then went on to complete a full clinical training program at the Toronto Psychoanalytic Institute. He became friends with Kurt Eissler, and  Freud's daughter, Anna Freud, and was invited to be the Director of the Freud Archives. There, he discovered unpublished personal letters belonging to Freud, which stirred up a huge controversy in the psychoanalytic world. This portion of the interview has been removed from the audio version of the podcast but can be found at gentlefinds.com. For anyone interested in Freud, the women's MeToo movement, and the evolution of therapy, you don't want to miss Jeffrey's whole story. You can find him at jeffreymasson.comThe Freud backstory (available on the video interview at Gentlefinds.com)Deciding to study animalsAnimals and their capacity for emotionsBorn a vegetarian, now an 80 year old veganCharlie Russell befriending wild bearsCesar Chavez and veganismAnimals open our heartsJimmy Stewart's poem: A dog named BoThoughts on hierarchyRaising the peaceable kingdomThe pig who sang to the moonEating animalsPigs are like dogsLilou the therapy pig at SFOChristian the LionBattle at KrugerFollow Gentle FindsWebsite: www.gentlefinds.comInstagram: @gentlefindspodcastSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/gentlefinds)

Dr. Mrinalini Sinha is the Alice Freeman Palmer professor in the department of history, and professor in the departments of English language and literature, and of women's studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Sinha has written on various aspects of the political history of colonial India with the focus on anti-colonialism, gender and trans national approaches. Her first book, Colonial Masculinity, the manly Englishman and the effeminate Bengali, sought to combine British and Indian history and brought gender analysis to bear on questions of high politics, to understand a critical moment and the relationship between colonialism and nationalism in India. Her subsequent book, Specters of Mother India, the global restructuring of an empire, explores the post first world war changes in the British empire, especially their implications in India. The book received the Albion Book Prize, awarded annually by the North American Conference on British Studies, and the Joan Kelly Memorial Prize 2007, awarded annually by the American Historical Association. Dr. Sinha has also published widely in journals and in edited collections. She has been a recipient of several fellowships, including from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the American Philosophical Society. Dr. Sinha has also served as a president of the Association of Asian Studies, a scholarly, nonpolitical, nonprofit, professional association, representing all the regions and countries of Asia and all academic disciplines. In this episode Dr. Sinha discusses populist nationalism and its rise globally but especially in the US under Trump and now in India with recent legislature nicknamed 'Love Jihad'. Dr. Sinha reviews Gandhian visions for India and democracy and the fact that Gandhi asserted that Democracy is not just around a shared identity based on ascribed caste, religion, race, but also on a shared understanding of injustice.

Capitalisms: Towards a Global History (Oxford University Press, 2020), edited by Kaveh Yazdani and Dilip M. Menon, aims to decenter work on the history of capitalism by looking at the longue durée from the tenth century; at regions as diverse as Song China, South and South East Asia, Latin America and the Ottoman and Safavid Empires; and exploring the plurality of developments over this extended time and space. The authors argue against conventional accounts that locate the origins of capitalism solely within Europe and within the conjuncture of the industrial revolution. The essays emphasize historical conjunctures, flows of commodities, circulation of knowledge and personnel, the role of mercantile capital and small producers and stress throughout the necessity to think beyond present day national boundaries. The volume contends with clichés of Western exceptionalism to make a set of historical arguments about non-Western and interconnected economic developments across the globe, prior to the era of colonialism. It argues fundamentally that the multiple histories of capitalism can be better understood from a truly global perspective. Dr Kaveh Yazdani is Lecturer (akademischer Rat) in economic history, University of Bielefeld. He teaches economic history at the University of Bielefeld, Germany. His scholarly interests include the 'Great Divergence' debate and the history of South and West Asia between the 17th and 20th centuries. He is the author of India, Modernity and the Great Divergence: Mysore and Gujarat (2017). Professor Dilip M. Menon is Mellon Chair of Indian Studies, Director of the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is the author of Caste, Nationalism and Communism in South India: Malabar, 1900-1948 (1994). Alexandra Ortolja-Baird is Lecturer in Early Modern European History at King's College London. She tweets at @TimeTravelAllie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Capitalisms: Towards a Global History (Oxford University Press, 2020), edited by Kaveh Yazdani and Dilip M. Menon, aims to decenter work on the history of capitalism by looking at the longue durée from the tenth century; at regions as diverse as Song China, South and South East Asia, Latin America and the Ottoman and Safavid Empires; and exploring the plurality of developments over this extended time and space. The authors argue against conventional accounts that locate the origins of capitalism solely within Europe and within the conjuncture of the industrial revolution. The essays emphasize historical conjunctures, flows of commodities, circulation of knowledge and personnel, the role of mercantile capital and small producers and stress throughout the necessity to think beyond present day national boundaries. The volume contends with clichés of Western exceptionalism to make a set of historical arguments about non-Western and interconnected economic developments across the globe, prior to the era of colonialism. It argues fundamentally that the multiple histories of capitalism can be better understood from a truly global perspective. Dr Kaveh Yazdani is Lecturer (akademischer Rat) in economic history, University of Bielefeld. He teaches economic history at the University of Bielefeld, Germany. His scholarly interests include the 'Great Divergence' debate and the history of South and West Asia between the 17th and 20th centuries. He is the author of India, Modernity and the Great Divergence: Mysore and Gujarat (2017). Professor Dilip M. Menon is Mellon Chair of Indian Studies, Director of the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is the author of Caste, Nationalism and Communism in South India: Malabar, 1900-1948 (1994). Alexandra Ortolja-Baird is Lecturer in Early Modern European History at King's College London. She tweets at @TimeTravelAllie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=31723331   Welcome to The Know Show.  The Know Show is a podcast that aims to make sense of the world, one guest at a time. Hosted by former private tutor Hussain, we break down mind-boggling academic research and challenge authors on their work.  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My guest on the episode is Dr. James Mallinson who is a senior lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical and Indian Studies at SOAS university. Having spent a lot of time in India both researching and practicing Yoga in its original form, Jim set up the Centre for Yoga Studies which he chair's to understand the practice using ancient texts. We discussed the state of Yoga in the western vs the eastern world and the true origins of it. Jim also shared with me his thoughts on a variety of other issues linked to Yoga and money. https://www.soas.ac.uk/staff/staff89770.php http://hyp.soas.ac.uk/ https://twitter.com/jimmallinson ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IG: https: https://instagram.com/theknowshowpod Facebook: https://Facebook.com/theknowshowpodcast Twitter: https://Twitter.com/theknowshowpod ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-know-show/id1491931350 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1K08ujaIZ7tl1H3URZfFRe Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnNvdW5kY2xvdWQuY29tL3VzZXJzL3NvdW5kY2xvdWQ6dXNlcnM6NzUwNTQyMTc2L3NvdW5kcy5yc3M Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=491878 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-know-show-984176  

Join us for Grace Cathedral's flagship conversation program online with one of the world's foremost scholars on Hinduism. What is Hinduism, a religion practiced by over one billion people? Join us to hear from Wendy Doniger, one of the world's foremost scholars of Hinduism, in conversation with Dean Malcolm Clemens Young about one of the world's oldest major religions. Holding doctorates in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard and Oxford, Doniger is Professor Emerita of the University of Chicago and a prolific author, translator and editor, publishing almost thirty books in as many years. Recent works include Against Dharma: Dissent in the Ancient Indian Sciences of Sex and Politics, Redeeming the Kamasutra, and Pluralism and Democracy in India: Debating the Hindu Right. Her groundbreaking work The Hindus: An Alternative History elucidates the relationship between recorded history and imaginary worlds, the inner life and the social history of Hindus.

About the Lecture: What sorts of people rise to leadership in the Chinese Communist Party? How do they get to the top? What qualities define them? How should we deal with them? A retired American diplomat speaks from his experience in China. About the Speaker: William McCahill joined NBR as a Senior Resident Fellow in July 2016. His work focuses on Chinese politics and policy. Before joining NBR, Mr. McCahill had worked in Hong Kong and China as the Senior Advisor for China at Mirabaud & Cie., a Swiss private bank headquartered in Geneva, and earlier in a similar capacity for Religare Capital Markets. He had previously co-founded and managed a China-focused equities and macro research firm, opened the Beijing office of a major American law firm, and operated a business consultancy in China. A 25-year Foreign Service career preceded McCahill's business activities. He began his diplomatic service in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Beijing; subsequently held senior posts at US missions in Western Europe, Scandinavia, and Canada; and in 2000 retired from his last posting as Chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. His academic background includes degrees from Boston College and Harvard University in Theology, English, the History of Religion, and Sanskrit & Indian Studies.