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Beyond Relativism

Beyond Relativism

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Beyond Relativism
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<strong>COLLOQUIUM</strong> of the <strong>Centre for the Study of Social Systems School of Social Sciences </strong> <strong>Beyond Relativism</strong> by <strong>Prof. Ari Sitas</strong> (University of Cape Town) <strong>on February 19(Thursday)2015</strong> <strong>Abstract: </strong>The talk will try and trace the three main challenges confronting Sociology's knowledge project in the contemporary period and will describe a series of Southern initiatives that attempt to deal with it in South Africa. It builds on prior work that was shared at JNU and was published as Narrative, Allegory and Dialogue in a Globalising World. Bio:Ari Sitas is a professor of sociology at the University of Cape Town and the Chair of the National Institute for the Humanities and the Social Sciences. His latest book (2014) is Gauging and Engaging Deviance (1600-2000) published by Tulika Press which he co-authored with a range of global scholars. His Mandela Decade (2010) is in its second print run. His latest poetry book has just been published as Around the World in 80 Days-the India Section by the University of South Africa Press.

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.