SOCIOLOGY@SAU: June 2012

About The Department - Vision and Beyond

Over the last half century or so, a vast body of knowledge(s) on the region has evolved within South Asia that mostly remain within the countries of their origin due to a number of reasons. In this specific context, there is a crucial need to share some of this knowledge in contemporary times when, despite assertions of localisations and mini-narratives, the universal does retain its emphasis through a constant dialectics of the two. The debate between the local and universal or mini-narratives and meta-narratives continue to rage, and is more clearly visible in the context of South Asian context. Even so, we are acutely aware of the non-existence of regular and serious forums for South Asian scholarship in social sciences to showcase our own research and thinking. We are also quite conscious of the fact that the process of establishing sociology in the region has created its own peculiarities which has established close inter-relationships between sociology and social anthropology, history, cultural studies, archeology and other related disciplines. We consider the porousness of South Asian sociology one of its most enduring strengths. On the other hand, we are not unaware of the unfortunate regressions sociology has experienced in different South Asian contexts over the last 30 years or so marked by numerous institutional failures.

It is within the context(s) outlined above that the Department of Sociology at South Asian university, initiated in 2011 witihn the Faculty of Social Sciences contributes to teaching, training and knowledge production. It is not intended to be a mere forum for the production of cutting-edge intellectual knowledge and exchange of that knowledge traversing across national borders in South Asia and beyond. Our expectation is that this knowledge would dislocate the persistence of an imposed framework emanating from the colonisation process and postcolonial politics of knowledge. Despite the passage of over fifty years since the process of official decolonization began in the region, much of the analyses of our problems, situations, histories and dynamics emanate from Euro American academia; this is certainly the case when it comes to conceptual formulations and theoretical approaches that are being employed in exploring the region’s social and cultural complexities often without much self-reflection.

The Department of Sociology strongly believes in the need to reformulate this situation by effectively centering South Asia without naively shunning thought from these established centers of knowledge be they in Europe or North America. We believe in an active and robust engagement with these issues within South Asia. In this context, through the work of its faculty and the research of graduate students, the Department would bring forward the newer forms of knowledge that comprehends and represents the South Asian context with a more authoritative and nuanced voice. We strongly believe in the need to actively intervene in the process of knowledge formation through a constant sharing of knowledge that the region produces as well as through interaction with the world beyond the region.

The courses taught in the Department as well as the research carried out by its faculty members reflect this overall vision and our collective commitment towards innovation, move beyond untenable stereotypes, and explore a new world of knowledge within the discipline of Sociology.

Friday, June 15, 2012

CANDIDATES OFFERED ADMISSION FOR SOCIOLOGY (BATCH 2)

The following candidates have been offered admission to the MA Program in Sociology; the official results are posted on the website of SAU. Department of Sociology encourages interested candidates to proceed with registration as soon as possible according to instructions on the SAU website.

We wish you all the best and good luck.

AFGHANISTAN

01 600157 HASIBULLAH OSMANI

02 600015 MURTAZA REZAII

03 600031 MASOOMA MAHTABI

BANGLADESH

01 600027 MD AL AMIN

02 600100 ABDULLAH AL MAHDEE

03 600055 SYED ASRAFUL MOBIN

04 600056 MD GOLAM SAMDANI

05 600129 HITENDRA NATH ROY

BHUTAN

01 600057 SAROJ KUMAR NEPAL

INDIA

01 600101 AARUSHIE SHARMA

02 600078 AATINA NASIR MALIK

03 600035 SAHIL YADAV

04 600164 AJAZ AHMAD BHAT

05 600023 TANYA KAPOOR

06 600086 RITUPARAN PATGIRI

07 600064 UMESH JOSHI

08 600121 LAKSHMI MARIKAR

09 600154 MANNAT MALHOTRA

10 600002 PARVEEN HUSSAIN

11 600077 NIKITA JAIN

12 600019 AMBER MUAZAM

13 600134 PRIYA SINGH

14 600113 SHIVANI VAISHNAVA

15 600032 ANNA M

NEPAL

01 600049 SANDESH KOIRALA

02 600007 HIMANI TAPARIA

03 600098 HIRA BAHADUR SHRESTHA GUBHAJU

PAKISTAN

01 600105 ZEESHAN GULL

02 600148 MUHAMMAD SOHAIL

SRI LANKA

01 600092 PRADHARSHANA

02 600008 HEWARAJAGE UNNATHI SAMADHINI SAMARASINGHE

Sunday, June 10, 2012

INVITATION: Contributions to Rickshaw

The students of the Department of Sociology at South Asian University have now expanded the reach of their blog, Rickshaw.

It is now open to contributions from anywhere in the world. You may send essays, photos, photo-essays, short stories etc in English.

Poems are also welcome in any South Asian Language. However, all non-English poems must be written in a web-font that will enable hassle free uploading. All non-English poems should be accompanied by a brief summary of the idea in English.

All contributions must contain the author’s name, email address, institutional affiliation and city of present residence.

Please feel free to visit Rickshaw at the following link:

https://sausociology.wordpress.com/

All contributions should be sent to:

rickshaw.editors@gmail.com

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