3rd International South Asian Studies Summer School (Vilnius, Lithuania, August 2023)

3rd International South Asian Studies Summer School: South Asia on the Move

14th – 20th August 2023

India Research Center at the Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, Vilnius University, Lithuania

South Asia has witnessed significant movements throughout its history. Millions of people have migrated within countries and across borders, bringing with them their cultures, languages, religions, goods and ideas. Globalization has intensified these processes and led to significant changes in the way people live, work, and interact with each other. In the last decades, South Asia has undergone unprecedented transformations such as rapid urbanization, environmental challenges, and technological penetration of social and cultural life. There have also been significant political changes in the region, contrastive and conflictual, including populism, authoritarianism, and increased political, gendered and social violence that threaten the foundations of civil society, social movements and political empowerment of the marginalized communities. The effects of the changes are felt on various levels – individual, national, regional and global. In this context of the rapid changes across multiple sectors and scales, the proposed summer school aims to explore South Asia on the move, with a particular focus on the movements of people, ideas, cultural forms and political practices. It will provide a perspective on how various types of movements and changes have shaped and continue to shape the identity of South Asia as a region and its relations with other regions of the world.

Topics:

The summer school will cover a wide range of topics related to “South Asia on the move”, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Migration: The history and contemporary context of migration in South Asia, its cultural, social, and political impact, issues of displacement and resettlement, and cross-border mobility.

2. Cultural Practices and Aesthetic Forms: The transmission and transformation of cultural practices and aesthetic forms, the role of media and technology. 

3. Political Forms and Practices: The movements of political ideas and ideologies, cross-border political processes, and the emergence of new forms of governance and resistance.

4. Language and Literature: The reflection of cultural, social and political changes in language and literature and the notion of translation of literary works as one of the modes of movement.

Here you will:

Examine the historical and contemporary movements of people, objects, and ideas across South Asia.

Develop a critical approach to cultural, social and political changes in South Asia. 

Deepen and improve your knowledge of the Hindi language and basic translation skills via literary, political and social media texts;

Improve communication skills through academic discussions and group work with participants from diverse backgrounds and disciplines; 

Have an opportunity to share your research and get feedback from experts in South Asian studies from different countries. 

Format:

The summer school will have a double focus – on the contemporary social, cultural and political dynamics in South Asia and on the Hindi language, the most widespread language in the region. It will have a multidisciplinary approach to the region, merging Hindi studies, history, anthropology, cultural studies, and performative and film studies in the analysis of various forms of movement and change in South Asia. The summer school will include a series of lectures, seminars, group discussions, film screenings, and cultural activities. The lectures and seminars will be delivered by scholars who have extensive experience in the field of South Asian studies. The participants will have the opportunity to present their research and engage with the speakers and other students of the school through group discussions and Q&A sessions. The cultural activities will provide an opportunity for participants to get an experience of South Asian culture in Lithuania. 

For those unable to participate in the summer school in person, there will be a possibility to attend it online via Zoom. All the attendees will be given certificates of participation if they attend no less than 70% of the classes. 

Requirements:

We expect Bachelor and Master (or early PhD) level students who have good English skills to apply. Hindi is preferable but not required.

Applicants are requested to fill in the Registration Form: https://form.jotform.com/231222860993357

The deadline for the applications is 20th June, 2023. 

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us: southasiansummerschool@fsf.vu.lt

For more information on lecturers, programme and fees: https://sasummerschool.wordpress.com/