Sheffield Reading Group
Thinking of and “from” South Asia critically
As a contested term, research and knowledge production on South Asia is largely dominated by India or at times, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. With a massive population, growing economies, large diasporas, and huge cultural and social significance, the region is largely ignored.
This very short reading list seeks to challenge this and it does so by shifting the focus away from the states to the people. In the first two weeks, we focus on the states as an introduction through minority nationalisms and a critical feminist perspective. Then we focus on people (in and of South Asia) and their identities, whether it be racialised, caste-based, gender or digital identity.
Every effort has been taken to ensure that the readings are from a diverse range of authors and reflect geographical diversity - this has not always been possible and it is noted that countries such as the Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have not been centred here.
