Month: August 2021

Posted on

Announcement: Publications by our members (Summer 2021)

The South Asian Studies Collective at Dartmouth has the following publications and announcements to share.

Anthropology Professor Sienna Craig and collaborators published the preliminary results of their SSRC-funded research into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on members of New York City’s Himalayan communities in the following essays:

MALS program graduate, Aneeq Ejaz, published a review, titled “How we reached here,” discussing SherAli Tareen’s book, Defending Muḥammad in Modernity in Pakistan’s The News on Sunday (August 8, 2021).

During the past year, History Professor Douglas Haynes has continued to work on the history of advertisement and consumption. His new publications in this area include an essay on “Vernacular Capitalism, Advertising and the Bazaar in Early Twentieth-century Western India,” in the volume he coedited with Ajay Gandhi, Barbara Harriss-White, and Sebastian Schwecke (read the announcement about that volume here), along with contributions to two other volumes:

He also published an article on how Gandhi formulated his concept of celibacy in interaction with the emerging field of sexual science and the birth control movement: “Gandhi, Brahmacharya and Sexual Science, 1919–38,” South Asia: A Journal of South Asian Studies, 43 (2) (2020): 1163–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/00856401.2020.1826644. He is currently finishing a book on professional advertising in the interwar period.

To support a new project on the formation of the Indian Institutes of Management in Ahmedabad and Calcutta in the 1960s—and their impact on the character of managerial capitalism in India—Professor Haynes was also awarded a four-month grant from the American Institute of Indian Studies.

Postdoctoral Fellow Elizabeth Lhost published an essay, “Of Horizontal Exchanges and Inter-Islamic Inquiries,” as part of a recent Kitabkhana forum on Faiz Ahmed’s Afghanistan Rising. The piece provides a methodological reflection on Ahmed’s book by analyzing Indian Mufti Kifayatullah’s 1924 fatwa on the question of women’s education in Afghanistan. The essay is available in Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East 41(2) (2021): 257–61. https://doi.org/10.1215/1089201X-9127180.

Dr. Lhost also continues to work on a digital database project tied to the legal history of the Indian Princely States, which received a grant from the American Institute of Indian Studies Digital India Learning Initiative. This database, known as IP-SO-LHA (Indian Princely States Online Legal History Archive), is planning to launch the results of its first phase of work in Fall 2021. Dartmouth History students Matthew Krivan and Womsikuk James have been key contributors to project.

Posted on

Call for Applications: Bodas Family Academic Programming Fund South Asian Studies Fellow

Overview

The South Asia Studies Collective and Conversations on South Asia Series at Dartmouth College are looking to hire an undergraduate student to serve as the Bodas Family Academic Programming Fund South Asian Studies Fellow. The fellow will work (approximately) 6–10 hours per week to help plan, promote, coordinate, and execute the monthly “Conversations on South Asia” series and contribute to other South Asia related events and programs on campus during the 2021–22 academic year (September 2021–June 2022).

Ideally, the student fellow will be available to serve as fellow for the entire academic year and will be able to attend most, if not all, of our (online) events this year. Events in the “Conversations” series will take place virtually (as Zoom webinars) on the second Tuesday of the month from 12:15–1:15 pm (eastern). The student fellow should be available to assist with the events between approximately 12 pm and 1:30 pm on event days.

The fellow will be compensated at an hourly rate of $15/hour. Preference will be given for students who will be on campus during Fall and Winter terms, when most of the planning and preparation work will take place.

We are looking for someone who is eager to

  • Learn about the newest and most exciting developments in the field of South Asian Studies (including the latest books and research trends)
  • Work closely with and learn from some of Dartmouth’s South Asian Studies faculty and scholars and support their research and professional activities
  • Develop skills in organizing events with audiences that extend beyond the Dartmouth campus and into the field of South Asian Studies more broadly (including in North America, Europe, and South Asia)
  • Communicate and interact with scholars throughout the world
  • Help build the South Asian Studies community and curriculum at Dartmouth
  • Contribute ideas for current and future programs related to South Asian Studies at Dartmouth that would appeal to and attract communities on campus

Application Process

Students who are interested in applying for this position should complete the Google form application and submit their transcripts (via upload or email) by Friday, September 10, 2021. (Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.)

We plan to interview candidates (most likely via Zoom) during the first week of classes (September 13–17). The position is expected to begin around September 22, 2021.

For more information about the Bodas Fellowship, please contact Elizabeth Lhost (elizabeth.lhost [at] dartmouth.edu) or Douglas Haynes (douglas.haynes [at] dartmouth.edu).

Additional information about the Conversations on South Asia series and the South Asia Studies Collective are available on our website: https://sites.dartmouth.edu/southasiastudies

Position Description

Responsibilities will include:

  • Planning and Organizing Events
    1. Manage the calendar and schedule for the “Conversations on South Asia” series
    2. Assist with planning, advertising, promoting, and executing other South Asia–related events on campus
    3. Coordinate with authors and discussants before events
    4. Assist with paperwork and payment processing after each event
    5. Work with series coordinators and program assistants during the events
    6. Keep the South Asia Studies Collective Website (a WordPress site) up to date
    7. Monitor the “Conversations on South Asia” Gmail address and manage the MailChimp account for the series
    8. Produce and distribute publicity emails to the series listserv and other outlets
  • Promotion and Publicity
    1. Develop copy text for flyers and promotional materials
    2. Strategize and execute on-campus event promotion
    3. Coordinate promotional activities at Dartmouth (emails, flyers, direct messaging)  
    4. Coordinate with authors and series organizers to cultivate an expansive and inclusive audience
    5. Liaise with authors and series coordinators to target event-specific audiences
    6. Track audience growth and engagement
    7. Conduct surveys to gauge audience interest and involvement
  • Engagement and Development
    1. Develop new strategies for audience attendance, participation, and involvement (especially strategies to boost Dartmouth student involvement and participation)
    2. Coordinate with student groups and other campus entities for greater on-campus engagement (and to boost student awareness of and participation in South Asia related events)
    3. Compose and publish event summaries to showcase depth and breadth of the series
    4. Track new publications and author activities before, during, and after series events to develop deeper engagement with the field and our series contributors
    5. Check automated event transcripts for accuracy, making necessary changes before posting
    6. Edit and trim audio recordings for online distribution

Required skills and experiences:

  • We are looking for someone with an interest in South Asian studies and a passion for learning about the field. (Previous coursework or experience with South Asian studies is preferred but is not required.)
  • We are looking for someone with excellent organizational skills, who is comfortable and enjoys managing multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously, is able to prioritize assignments, and can stay on top of time-sensitive deadlines.
  • We are looking for someone with an eye for detail who is able to work under pressure and at a fast pace—without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
  • We are looking for someone with strong communication skills who is able to manage direct email campaigns, subscriber mailing lists, and other forms of communication across platforms (at Dartmouth and online).

Desired skills and experiences:

We use several platforms to coordinate, organize, and manage the “Conversations” series. We will train the South Asia Studies fellow in the use of these platforms, but applicants with prior experience may wish to highlight their experiences when applying.

These platforms and skills include the following:

  • Collaborating via Google drive
  • Scheduling and hosting Zoom meetings and webinars
  • Designing posters and working in graphic design
  • Running WordPress websites
  • Editing, trimming, and mixing audio recordings for dissemination
  • Communicating via Slack (for internal communication)
  • Publicizing events via Twitter (and on other social media platforms)
  • Using MailChimp to reach and cultivate our audience
  • Drawing upon other event planning or administrative experience

We welcome applications from Dartmouth undergraduate students. History, ASCL, and Religion majors are especially encouraged to apply.

Applications are due via Google form before Friday, September 10, 2021.

Please direct all questions about the application process or the position to Elizabeth Lhost (elizabeth.lhost [at] dartmouth.edu) or Douglas Haynes (douglas.haynes [at] dartmouth.edu).