6th AEEII International Conference
Gandhi in Contemporary India: Seeking Peace amid Disorders
27–29 November 2019
University of Valladolid
On 2nd October 2019, the world will celebrate the 150th Birth Anniversary of M.K. Gandhi. It is indeed a landmark event and as much a cause for celebration as for reflection, a time to look back with brand new perspectives to his person, principles and ideas and their relevance in the contemporary world. The Spanish Association for Interdisciplinary India Studies wants to mark the occasion by dedicating its bi-annual international conference to the figure of Gandhi under the title "Gandhi and/in Contemporary India: Seeking Peace amid Disorders". The association invites papers, panels, and roundtable proposals for the conference to be held in Valladolid, November 27–29, 2019.
Shortly before his assassination, in the thick of the post-independence and partition debacle, Gandhi stated "I seek my peace amid disorders" when compelled to retire from the political scene by a survivor from the Gujarat railway station massacre in 1948 (Payne, 1969). Venerated by most and fiercely criticised by others, Gandhi is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing and controversial figures of modernity. His constant and personal search for truth and peace in times of turmoil and his particular idea of praxis left a body of thought and experiments that comprise the personal and the social, the political and the religious. His revolutionary contributions have changed history and left an indelible mark on global consciousness. We look forward to studies on Gandhi as both a universal and an Indian figure, daring to treat his life and work beyond the canonical aspects, and are especially interested in areas of research that have cross disciplinary relevance or deal with the resonance of Gandhi to present-day concerns. Potential panel and round table themes include, but are not limited to:
- Recent historiography on the figure of Gandhi: revising, revisiting and challenging Gandhian myths
- Critical reviews of Gandhi's biographies and autobiographies
- Influence and validity of Gandhian thought on processes of peace making and conflict resolution
- Non-violence and civil disobedience in the age of global terror
- Gandhian vision on world order and religion based conflicts and terrorism
- Impact of Gandhian thought on pacifist, civil rights and women movements
- Political obligation and civil disobedience: migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
- Untouchability, caste, women and marginalised groups: reservation and empowerment
- The rural world and industrialization
- Gandhian theory of consumption and anti-over consumption global movements
- Environmental resistance and sustainability
- Animal welfare and vegetarianism
- Works and authors shaping Gandhian thought, as well as influenced by it
- Cultural portrayals of Gandhi: Literature, cinema, performing arts, visual arts, media and popular culture
- Nationalism, nation building and the construction of Indian identities after Gandhi
- Religion, politics, communalism and identity based conflicts
- Gandhian philosophy and education
- Gandhi and journalism, subject and actor
You may submit a proposal for a paper, a panel or a round table including abstracts and bios for all participants to aeeiiconference@gmail.com before June 30th. Abstracts must be between 200 and 250 words in English or Spanish and they must include: contact details, the title of the proposal and a 100-word biodata of the speaker(s) including full name and institutional affiliation. A peer-reviewed selection of contributions will be published in the Association journal, Indialogs, in a special thematic issue.
Guidelines
Poster
Programme
Venue
Faculty of Humanities (University of Valladolid)
