Creative economies of culture in South Asia: craftspeople and performers

The chapter provides an overview of the volume by situating the Korean culture wave in South Asia. It elaborates the conceptual underpinning of transcultural flow in the age of globalization. Authors pointed out the lack of empirical research to understand the fandom, subculture and transcultural communication in the disciplinary domain of media, culture and communication in South Asia. Moving beyond the typical cultural studies approach to study media, youth and cultural texts, this chapter invites interdisciplinary approaches to capture the contemporary media practices. The chapter also outlines the chapters and thematic purview of the book.

A culture of coexistence

The free expression of human sexuality in Indian culture has a long and honorable tradition rooted in early south Asian religions which predates Christianity by many millenia. From antiquity to comparatively recent times there were few if any sexual taboos among the south Asian religions and cultures. Hindu temples are decorated with erotic carvings and images which often show multiple and homosexual couplings. Babur founder of the Mogul empire took male partners as did Ranjit Singh an early religious leader. Homosexual activities were therefore practiced in India long before the Muslim and British invasions of the country. Fictional anecdotal and objective evidence indicate that same-sex activities continue to exist both before and after marriage in India. While men and women are actively homosexual in India Islamic religious dogma and the Indian Penal Code a legacy of the British Raj make it very difficult for individuals to openly acknowledge and practice their homosexuality. Ignorance of their sexually liberated historical tradition existing religious and cultural constraints and the desire to avoid bringing shame embarrassment and discrimination to the family have suppressed diversity of sexual expression in India and elsewhere in south Asia. The Western notion of homosexuality is unacceptable from a South Asian standpoint. South Asian cultures instead need to be aware of and proud of their sexual histories. Allowing it its appropriate historical perspective will increase understanding of the place of homosexual relationships in the heritage of the Indian sub-continent. Linking this and other aspects of HIV education to spiritual and religious traditions will strengthen the message and increase its acceptance.

This paper deals with presence or absence of Iron Age material culture and explores the development of Iron Age in northwest Kashmir (Baramulla District). It has been noted from the previous surveys that a chronological gap existed (c. 1000 BCE – 100 CE), which roughly equates to the Iron Age in Kashmir (Yatoo 2005; Yatoo 2012). Furthermore, considering that there is very little evidence of Iron Age material culture from the few excavated (or explored) sites in Kashmir, there is a debate about the very presence of Iron Age in Kashmir. The little information we have about Iron Age material culture from key sites in Kashmir (such as a few sherds of NBPW, some iron artefacts and slag at one site), has been largely dismissed as imports and lacked serious attention by scholars. It was therefore difficult to build any comparisons in the material culture for the present study. Instead the Iron Age material culture in other parts of South Asia, such as the Indian plains and northern regions of Pakistan, are discussed, as these regions have documented evidence of iron and its associated material culture but very few have archaeometallurgical evidence. Furthermore, Kashmir historically had communication links with these regions in South Asia since the early third millennium BCE until the 10th century CE, so we might expect some contact during the period of early iron production and use.Therefore, one key issue for archaeology in northwest Kashmir in this paper is to understand the link between the newly discovered slag and tuyeres with the key sites in Kashmir and in South Asia; and a further key issue is to determine whether or not there was a distinct Iron Age in north west Kashmir (or whole of Kashmir), or whether the few recovered iron artefacts from key sites of Kashmir are indeed all imports.

This research paper investigates Champa Culture in South Asia region and in Vietnam in modern World. The main objectives are especially to provide comprehensive overview of Cham Culture in South Asia and Vietnam in modern World, to provide with examples of Cham Structures – especially buildings and such as, and to act as an entry point for scholars and people interested in Cham Culture or South Asia Culture.

Reviewed by: The Muslim World in Modern South Asia: Power, Authority, Knowledge by Francis Robinson Ali Altaf Mian (bio) The Muslim World in Modern South Asia: Power, Authority, Knowledge Francis Robinson Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2020. 419 Pages. This volume attests to British historian Francis Robinson's prolific contributions to the study of Muslim traditions in South Asia and the history of Islam more broadly. This collection of essays and book reviews serves as a companion to two earlier edited volumes of his previously published materials namely, Islam and Muslim History in South Asia, and Islam, South Asia, and the West (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007). Scholars and students of Islam in South Asia will also recall Robinson's three monographs: Separatism among Indian Muslims: The Politics of the United Provinces' Muslims, 1860–1923 (London: Cambridge University Press, 1974); The 'Ulama of Farangi Mahall and Islamic Culture in South Asia (London: C. Hurst & Co., 2001; New Delhi: Permanent Black, 2001); and Jamal Mian: The Life of Maulana Jamaluddin Abdul Wahab of Farangi Mahall, 1919–2012 (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2017). Other readers will be more familiar with Robinson's Atlas of the Islamic World since 1500 (New York: Facts on File, 1982) or The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Islamic World (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996) or his volume titled, The Mughal Emperors and the Islamic Dynasties of India, Iran, and Central Asia, 1206–1925 (London: Thames & Hudson, 2007). This brief bibliographical summation of Robinson's multifaceted scholarship serves to highlight an important point that the reader of The Muslim World in Modern South Asia should bear in mind: the author analyzes some subjects as a generalist but others as a specialist. In the latter capacity, he has illuminated two facets of Islam in modern South Asia: (1) the predicaments faced by colonialera Muslim modernists in their struggles to create either a pluralist nationalist society or a separatist Muslim state; and (2) the cultural as well as intellectual world of Lucknow's Farangi Mahallis, a group of religious scholars or 'ulama' renowned for their mastery of subjects such as logic, theology, and legal theory. Robinson's assessments of certain Muslim institutions and figures from colonial and postcolonial South Asia are perceptive and I value the insights I have learned from Robinson the specialist. At the same time, I find problematic some of his reductive generalizations about religious authority and his narrow comparative apparatus, not to mention some historical simplifications (such as the idea that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk abolished in 1924 the same institution that had [End Page 142] embodied the Prophet Muhammad's religious authority since the early days of Islam! (p. 154). While Robinson seeks to situate Islam in South Asia in the broader framework of the history of Islam, his objects of specialization often overdetermine the gestalts he constructs in his capacity as a generalist. In other words, the life-worlds of elite modernist and traditionalist Muslim men mainly from colonial North India do not cover the full range of subject matters that need to be illuminated when dealing with such broad categories as "the Muslim world" and "modern South Asia" or wide-ranging themes such as power, authority, and knowledge. The issue is not just nomenclature, to opt for "Muslim-majority societies" instead of "the Muslim world," for example. The spatial, temporal, and conceptual categories we use and the comparisons we pursue need to be accompanied by a cautious ethical-political analytical sensibility that remains cognizant of the geopolitical implications of our categories and comparisons. Whose analytical objectives and political interests are served through the category, "the Muslim world," and the comparison between the Islamic Revival and the Protestant Reformation? Unfortunately, Robinson does not address such meta-analytical questions. Instead, he takes for granted civilizational blocs, even when trying to counter claims about the clash of civilizations. Let me now examine two problematic assumptions that undergird the substantial essays of The Muslim World in Modern South Asia. First is Robinson's idea that the religious authority of the 'ulama' has waned in modernity, and second is his analogical tying together of the Islamic Revival and the Protestant Reformation. Both...

Introduction

Guru culture is a prominent phenomenon in contemporary South Asia. The guru is a charismatic figure and the bedrock of the concerned institution, which very often assumes the form of a movement. Recognition of the power of that charisma is the central aspect in the social and psychological dynamics of guru-led movements. They attract a large number of followers and social service engagements are a part of their common repertoire, reflecting and furthering the guru’s multiple societal entanglements. In this article, I focus on a prominent guru movement which originated in India, the Chinmaya Mission (CM), specifically with respect to its basic character and its interface with the Indian sociocultural fabric through compelling praxis, which I schematise through dimensions of its unique philosophical repertoire, sociality and habitus. Sociality in practice for CM is its mandate of social service. Social service is justified through the faith ideals. Habitus is generated by the Mission’s associates as an unconscious formation. Both sociality and habitus of the CM movement make a case for the resurgence of religion and the postsecular in Indian public discourse.

This study aims at creating an ensemble of the various principles of positive organizational scholarship professed in south Asia through ages. This is a review of various scholarly literature published between 1985 and 2020, on how positive organizational scholarship finds its roots in South Asia. Findings. Based on the detailed literature review, it was observed that south Asia has a distinct and rich spiritual culture which has given birth to many positive organisations. Positivity found in these indigenous organisations is strongly rooted in the concept of community development. It is also found that as compared to the western culture, the South Asian culture has been blessed with conscience of spirituality and this culture is capable of leading the entire world to peace, prosperity, and happiness. This study can be viewed as one of the pioneering attempts examining the roots of positive organizational scholarship in South Asia. This paper adds value to the body of existing knowledge by providing new insights into the virtues contributed by South Asia towards POS.

Despite their significant contribution, the role of women in Sufi tradition of South Asia has largely been ignored in the extant literature. This paper which conducted systematic literature review of the study is composed of about 25 articles, books and other materials illuminates the subject on the role of women in Sufism in South Asia. The results indicate that the female Sufis played their role in numerous fields such as gender-free spirituality, shrine culture and religious consciousness. The results also indicate that most of the work done by female Sufis are unrecorded in a way that limits a proper judgment on how the Sufi culture in South Asia owed itself to the contribution of female Sufis.The female figure has been either demarginalized or unrepresented in South Asian religious traditions, particularly, in traditions formed on the basis of Islamic mysticism. This study sheds more light on the significance of the sacred and cultural roles that women have been playing to perpetuate and model Sufi practices. By reviewing a significant amount of an academic literature, one can see that their impact is very wide and significant. However, due to less documentation and identifications in history, a lot of that contribution is shadowed or ignored. Thus, this review underlines the necessity of additional studies, preservation, and representation of women and their position in Sufi customs, especially in the situation of the country of the South Asian region with its multicultural background and rich background.

5 - Management and culture in South Asia

This research investigates the cultural barriers which face international managers and the significance of international managers on Industrial Relations (IR)/Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the Garment and Textile (G & T) industry in Bangladesh. After the Rana Plaza building collapse, the Bangladesh state undertook measures to address a variety of IR/HRM related issues which included those of health & safety, working conditions and trade unions. It is noted that international managers have played a substantial role but there remain some limitations which are discussed. Based on a review of the literature, the research develops a model to identify how effective international managers are in overcoming cultural barriers. The research methodology is based on a theoretical model which brings together a number of factors which include cultural characteristics. This is tested through triangulation; analysis of primary data interviews which are based within selected companies interviews, open-ended and structured interviews, and the analysis of a survey questionnaire. For this research, Hofstedes, Trompenaars and Ingleharts model have been drawn upon because their work provides both a theoretical and practical contribution to culture and management in major developing countries such as Bangladesh. This exploration of the cultural context within Bangladeshi identifies various differences between Western and non-Western culture. The Bangladeshi culture and non-Western culture particularly in South Asia has substantial similarities. Bangladesh retains what is probably the most traditional and collective culture in South Asia. These collectivist traits are reflected in both the research and conceptual model. Therefore, these contextual factors offer fertile ground for the future development of a model for understanding how international managers adapt to the environment within Bangladesh. A modified theoritical model from selected theories allowing a framework for the research. In line with the empirical findings, the cultural characteristics of language, culture, trade unions, health & safety and political understanding are all significant for international managers in the G & T industry in Bangladesh. With regards to language barriers, the research has identified that language problems create a communication gap between international managers and IR actors, this is notable between trade union and government officials; hence the cultural barriers. Findings suggest that the non- Western international managers such as those from India and Sri Lanka do not encounter language problems. Within the linguistic sphere, Indian and Sri Lankan international managers have a basic grounding in Bangla (Bangladeshi language). This familiarity extends beyond language and includes culture. With regard to health & safety issues, the findings suggest that Western international managers show a higher level of awareness than non-Western international managers. This heightened awareness is especially contrasted with those managers from India, Sri Lanka and China. This may be because of the similarities of cultural characteristics. In line with HRM practices, the Multinational Companies (MNCs) provide an exemplar of the introduction of corporate HRM policies in the G & T industry in Bangladesh. The empirical study of this research found that Western international managers follow different HR policies but they have limited presence compared to the non-Western international managers. The non-Western international managers particularly those from India and Sri Lanka tend not to follow corporate HRM practices. These countries and Bangladesh have a similar cultural framework and therefore a similar paradigm of values and understanding. This research also contributes to the understanding of the relationship between selected actors in the G& T industry. The empirical evidence in the broad fields of IR/HRM for Bangladesh is scant and the findings make a significant contribution to knowledge. Therefore, this research makes a contribution to understanding selected actors within the Bangladeshi system.

: Although under immense pressure from television, movies, and video games, comics are a very effective and non-intrusive means of introducing American popular culture in South Asia in the age of globalization. The introduction of American comic books in South Asian languages, although a recent phenomenon, has already stimulated the South Asian/Indian appetite for American super-heroes and comics and has added various new cognitive and (psycho) linguistic dimensions to traditional Indian comics. The paper attempts to account for the creative linguistic strategies employed in the representation of super-heroes through super languages (Sanskrit and English) in South Asian language comics and to explain the highly diverse appeal and positive perception of comics in South Asia.

(2001). Non‐gandhian sexuality, commodity cultures, and a ‘happy married life’: The cultures of masculinity and heterosexuality in India. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies: Vol. 24, Sexual sites, seminal attitudes: Sexualities, masculinites and culture in South Asia, pp. 225-249.

The end of Mughal Empire in the wake of War of Independence 1857 left the Muslim community of South Asia political orphans; desperately facing religious and cultural assaults, political as well as economic victimization and marginalization under British Raj. At this time of vulnerability of the Muslim society, it was the educational institutions established by Muslim ideologues which took up the task of strengthening, reforming and revitalizing the Muslim society to cope with the challenges pushing them down to the bottom, they also helped them regain the lost confidence and integrity. These institutions were not merely educational bodies but the movements endeavoring for Muslim renaissance in South Asia. Among them, one was Darul Ulum Deoband which, from its inception to date, played a historic role in confronting the politico-cultural challenges to the South Asian Muslims by adopting dynamic political strategies and accommodating modern structural innovative modifications in the institutions. This, indeed, helped it be a popular movement and achieve its objectives. The present paper goes into some of important historical developments such as: socio-political circumstances which led to the origination of madrasah Deoband, lofty vision and objectives envisaged by its founders, administration of educational-cum-institutional paraphernalia, nationalist stance and struggle for freedom carried out by the Deobandi veterans, strategies and policies it adopted to deal with political challenges faced by the Indian Muslims during British Raj and after partition of India. It explores and discusses the factors which helped this school of thought be popular and become one of the major sects of Islam. Moreover, it also brings in the much debated issue of its stance on jihad, militant struggle and terrorism. By bringing to light the historical developments, vision of its founders, objectives they determined to achieve and strategies they devised to tackle the challenges, the paper argues that the main concern of Darul Ulum Deoband’s activities was and has been to preserve the Muslim culture in South Asia and to restore the confidence of the Muslim community which they lost after the First War of Independence in 1857 and decline of Mughal Empire, and the modernist and innovative strategies it adopted to achieve its objectives, despite the criticism from within and outside, led to it emerging as one of the dominant sects of Islam.