Report of the International Workshop:

Expanding Horizons of History: Challenges, Relevance and Methods in Indian History

Vinod Vincent Rajesh
Assistant Professor of History
M.S. University

            An Inter-national Workshop for six days was organized by the Department of History and Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli with Mr. Vinod Vincent Rajesh as Organizing Secretary between 28/02/2011 and 05/03/2011. On the first day registration started at 10 A.M. Eleven members including teaching staff from other universities and colleges registered for the workshop. Students of the host department were given free admission. Study materials were distributed to the participants. A museum was organized in collaboration with the Department of Tamil and Tirunelveli District Museum.

( Inaugural Function - Regirtar in the Middle)

The inaugural function was started at 11 A.M. Mr. Vinod Vincent Rajesh delivered the welcome address. Prof. K. A. Manikumar, presently Director i/c the Directorate of Distance Education, presided over the function and delivered the presidential address. He gave a broad outline of the post-modern and subaltern historiography. Prof. Manickam, Registrar, Prof. Govindaraju, Dean of Arts and Prof. Kannappan, Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli felicitated the program. Dr. B. Maria John, Professor and Head i/c, Department of History delivered the vote of thanks. Prof. K. A. Mani Kumar Inaugurated the museum.

(Dr. Govindaraju and Dr. K.A. Manikumar in the heritage

Museum set-up in collaboration with Govt Museum Tirunelveli

and Dr. Stephen of the Tamil Department)

           

            The first two days were planned on the encounter historiography that sprang out of India- European Union Historical Relationship. On the first day – after the inaugural function – Prof. K. Sadasivan, Retd Prof and Head, Department of History, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University delivered a lecture on ‘Archaeological Perspectives on Indo-Roman Trade’. He highlighted the importance of sites like Arikamedu, Korkai, Muziris and Kodumanal. His lecture was followed by the lecture of Dr. Thangamuthu, Associate Prof of History, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai who spoke on ‘Rereading Marco Polo’. He unraveled the information we get through the Travelogue of Marco Polo on the basis of scholarly works that have been produced in the recent past. His session was followed by a lecture on ‘Writing Book Review’. R. Pavananthi Vembulu, Assistant Professor, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University delivered it.

(Prof. Detlef Briesen and Dr. Michael Dusche reviewing

 the research works of the University Departments)

            On the next day i.e. 1/3/ 2011, since Prof. Karunanithi of the Department of Sociology of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University who was about to speak on ‘Conversion and Cultural Change’ could not turn up, the organizing secretary Mr. Vinod Vincent Rajesh made a presentation on ‘Conducting Field Visits among Religious Converts’ since his area research also concurs with that of the former. It was followed by Dr. Michael Dusche’s lecture on ‘Positive Orientalism’. In his lecture, the scholar associated with the Centre for Asian and African Studies - Germany, outlined the historical perceptions of German scholars in viewing India. In the afternoon, Prof Detlef Briesen, Professor of Modern History, Giessen University, Germany spoke on ‘India EU encounter historiography - Summary.  He sketched the historical processes that conditioned the India-EU relationship. It was followed by Prof. Muhammad Koya’s lecture on ‘Colonialism: a Nationalist Critrique. His lecture was more on a replying mode to what Dr. Michael Dusche spoke on Positive Orientalism.

(Prof. Detlef Briesen and Dr. Michael Dusche visiting

 the exhibition)

                  

            On 2/3/2011 chef issues related to Social History remained the focus area.  Prof. Deflef Briesen spoke on ‘Global Health as World History’ in which he discussed the social maladies of the third world countries that prevent development at par with developed countries. His lecture was followed by Dr. Michael Dusche’s presentation on ‘Migration and Cultural Change’.  He broadly outlined the cultural changes that are occurring among South Asian migrant workers due to their exposure to the Arab world. He also talked about the effects this has on the home communities in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India when these migrants return..  In the afternoon Dr. Dhananjayan, noted anthropologist and folklorist spoke on ‘oral history’.  He explained both the theoretical and practical aspects of oral traditions in strengthening historical research.  He was followed by Dr. Shamrao Koreti, Assistant Professor of History, Nagpur University. His topic was on ‘Nuances of Tribal History’.  However, he confined his talk with case studies on Koya tribes and identified the general issues pertaining to tribal life and history.  His lecture was followed by the presentation of Mr. Balamurugan, Assistant Professor of History, Presidency College, Chennai, who spoke on ‘Contextualizing Dalit    History’.  He created a broad a framework on the History of Tamil Nadu for his argument in which he perfectly located the dalits. 

(Dr., Detlef Briesen delivering his lecture)

                        On 3/3/2011, the morning session was attributed for discussions in Gender History. The Morning session was fully allocated to Prof K. Sadasivan, a known gender historian.  He stared from exploring the condition of women during the sangam period and moved on to the Devadasi system.  Then he thoroughly explained the dimensions of the devadasi system.  In the afternoon, Prof. Detlef Briesen gave a lecture on Food in Germany.  He brought into focus the role of women in food production.  This was followed by Dr. N. Kannan’s presentation on ‘Transgenders - Being Subalterns’.   He largely spoke on the need to understand the physical and mental spheres of the transgender.    After the lecture a documentary film on child sex abuse produced by the communication dept of the university was screened. The name of movie is “Solla Theriadhu Aval Kulandhai” meaning “She Cannot Tell – She is a Child”.  

(Dr. Michael Dusche delivering his lecture)

                       The next day i.e. 4/3/2011 was on Economic History.  In the morning Prof. Detlef Briesen spoke on select theories in Economic History.  His lecture was followed by Dr. Bernard D’ Samy’s presentation on ‘Understanding Economic Rights in Historical Context’. In the afternoon again, Prof Detlef Briesen spoke on ‘Shift from Archival Sources to Secondary Data Analysis’.  He chiefly pointed out the limitation of archival sources.  Following his lecture Dr. Bernard D’ Samy’s spoke on ‘Migration and Economic Change’.  Then Dr. Pavananthi Vembalu spoke on economic aspects of ethno history.  A film depicting tribal life was screened and festival discussion was evolved

(Dr. Mohammad Koya, Prof & Head, Dept of History,

Calicut University, Kerala delivering his lecture)

                        The last day was allotted with issues on Historiography. In the morning Dr. N. Rajendran, Professor and Head, Bharathidasan University spoke on two topics – ‘Writing History: Need and Challenges’ as well as ‘Contours of Interdisciplinary Research in History’.  In the afternoon, Dr. Suresh Jnaneswaran spoke on ‘Emerging Theoretical Perspectives in History’. He argued on the importance of theories in informing issues in a comparative mode.  His lecture was followed by the one of Dr. T. Sundararaj who spoke on the problems in the ‘Rankean Method’.

                         

(Discussion on the lecture delivered by Dr. Shyam Rao Koreti,

Asst Prof of History, Nagpur University, Maharashtra)

                       The valedictory session was conducted in the evening.  Dr. N. Rajendran delivered the valedictory address.  Dr. T. Sundararaj was the chief guest and Dr. K. Sadasivan was the special guest. Certificates signed by the Organizing Secretary,  Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy and Prof. Detlef Briesen were issued to the participants.  The Organizing Secretary delivered the vote of thanks.

(Valedictory Session: Prof K. Sadasivan, Prof. N. Rajendran

& Dr. T. Sundararaj in the middle)