Suraj Thube
University of Oxford, History, Graduate Student
Sharing this special issue of Chakra: A Nordic Journal of South Asia Studies on the Covid Pandemic.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
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In this article, I investigate the intellectual contributions of Chhatrapati Shahu, who was the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur from 1894 to 1922. Shahu was not just a prominent source of patronage for the non-Brahmin movement,... more
In this article, I investigate the intellectual contributions of Chhatrapati Shahu, who was the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur from 1894 to 1922. Shahu was not just a prominent source of patronage for the non-Brahmin movement, but he was also an influential public speaker who shaped an alternative conception of Hinduism. Shahu attempted to reimagine Hinduism through the prism of the Arya Samaj and as this article explores, Shahu's creatively resolved the balance between this alternative idea of Hinduism while simultaneously retaining a staunch critique of caste practices. Instead of identifying him as a 'Sanskritizing Kshatriya' agent, I seek to study Shahu's gradual transformation of views on caste by calling him a 'radical reformist'. Furthermore, I argue that Shahu's public presence from 1890s to 1920 had a major impact on how the generation after Jotirao Phule imagined and responded to the discourses surrounding religion, identity and caste. Despite Shahu's status as the Maharaja of Kolhapur, his speeches delivered all across Maharashta and beyond, were instrumental in channelling the movement's trajectory during the early 20th century. Lastly, I suggest that even if Shahu's methods seemingly imitated Brahmins, more so with the adoption of the Kshatriya seat of authority as a counter to the Brahmin one, his conception of this parallel authority emphasised the significance of equality and individual autonomy.
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Ontologies of Relational Space in South Asia 1 (Guest Edited: Venugopal Maddipati) Relational space is an entity that does not exist on its own. While space, conventionally understood, is an a-priori condition for the existence of... more
Ontologies of Relational Space in South Asia 1 (Guest Edited: Venugopal Maddipati)
Relational space is an entity that does not exist on its own. While space, conventionally understood, is an a-priori condition for the existence of entities, “relational space” is nothing unto itself prior to the exchanges between its constituents. Its contours and outlines are contingent upon the particular ways in which communities and materialities enter into relation. In other words, relationships have causal efficacy. But what distinguishes “relational space” as a category in the South Asian context? How are spaces in the subcontinent transformed by the emergence of new relationships or antagonisms between social groups that collectivize or self-identify along the lines of ethnicity, class, caste, language and religion? Why are particular spatial forms sometimes reified by the emergence of the very relationships that they are expected to discourage? Our special issue is an attempt at answering some of these questions.
Relational space is an entity that does not exist on its own. While space, conventionally understood, is an a-priori condition for the existence of entities, “relational space” is nothing unto itself prior to the exchanges between its constituents. Its contours and outlines are contingent upon the particular ways in which communities and materialities enter into relation. In other words, relationships have causal efficacy. But what distinguishes “relational space” as a category in the South Asian context? How are spaces in the subcontinent transformed by the emergence of new relationships or antagonisms between social groups that collectivize or self-identify along the lines of ethnicity, class, caste, language and religion? Why are particular spatial forms sometimes reified by the emergence of the very relationships that they are expected to discourage? Our special issue is an attempt at answering some of these questions.
Research Interests:
Both a symbol of the Mubarak government’s power and a component in its construction of national identity, football served as fertile ground for Egyptians to confront the regime’s overthrow during the 2011 revolution. With the help of the... more
Both a symbol of the Mubarak government’s power and a component in its construction of national identity, football served as fertile ground for Egyptians to confront the regime’s overthrow during the 2011 revolution. With the help of the state, appreciation for football in Egypt peaked in the late 2000s. Yet after Mubarak fell, fans questioned their previous support, calling for a reformed football for a new, postrevolutionary nation. In Egypt’s Football Revolution, Carl Rommel examines the politics of football as a space for ordinary Egyptians and state forces to negotiate a masculine Egyptian chauvinism. Basing his discussion on several years of fieldwork with fans, players, journalists, and coaches, he investigates the increasing attention paid to football during the Mubarak era; its demise with the 2011 uprisings and 2012 Port Said massacre, which left seventy-two fans dead; and its recent rehabilitation. Cairo’s highly organized and dedicated Ultras fans became a key revolutionary force through their antiregime activism, challenging earlier styles of fandom and making visible entrenched ties between sport and politics. As the appeal of football burst, alternative conceptions of masculinity, emotion, and politics came to the fore to demand or prevent revolution and reform. “Egypt’s Football Revolution is a fascinating and ethnographical account of Egypt's famed soccer fans and their struggle for dignity, freedom, and justice. But it is much more than ly rich account of the country’s that. Rommel expertly reveals a tension between Egyptian nationalism and ideal concepts of politics (siyasa)—a tension that ultimately constrained the liberatory possibilities of the 2011 uprising. This book is critical reading for anyone seeking to understand how people make sense of the concept of politics in their daily lives and how that process shapes political possibilities, revolutionary and otherwise.” Jessica Winegar, au of Creative Reckonings: The Politics of Art and Culture in Contemporary Egypt “The political resonance of Egyptian football has long been obvious yet opaque. Egypt’s Football Revolution brings both the sport and its political significance to life—its connection to masculinity, nationalism, neoliberal culture, and revolution. But the true brilliance of this book lies in the fact that for many of those who love the game, football is intrinsically connected to joy. A mere sociological dissection of it never quite captures that essential quality of the game. Rommel’s account of Egyptian football is a tour de force, illuminating both the passion and the politics of a crucial element of contemporary Egyptian society.” Walter Armbrust, author of Martyrs and Tricksters: An Ethnography of the Egyptian Revolution