OCHS Weblog

A busy weekend - for those who do not know, friday saw a grand banquet (the Board of Governors dinner) at the Oxford Town Hall, and on monday there was a press conference in the equally grand setting of the House of Lords to celebrate the ‘Recognised Independent Centre of Oxford University’ title that the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies has now been accorded.

Lord Dholakia hosted the gathering at the House of Lords, and drew attention to the need for young people to use their knowledge and insight to lead society towards new models of religious community, cultural participation and citizenship. Emphasising the middle ground between the different fundamentalisms in the world today, he spoke of the hope for diverse communities united by an ideal of ‘citizenship’ that instead of relying on language testing and history lessons, draws on basic, common values that are seen in every community - kindness, co-operation and mutual concern. The acknowledgement of the work that the OCHS is doing must, he felt, be recognised as having benefits at the very highest levels of society.

Dr Kulkarni, a representative of the Indian High Commissioner, conveyed the Commissioner’s congratulations on the new status, noting that this is the culmination of a great tradition of studying Hindu Culture in Oxford, signifying a gain both for OCHS and for Oxford University.

Prof. Gavin Flood spoke of his feeling that religion should be seen as a positive factor in society, and not as a threat to it - encouraging ethical reflection, contributing to coherence and communal concerns, and dealing with universal issues of life, death and well-being. Prof. Flood expressed his hope that the objective, academic work done by OCHS would contribute to a community of critical reflection and sympathetic understanding.

Dr Jessica Frazier, a Fellow of the Centre, described how the Centre had helped to generate a new, more holistic ideal of excellence in the study of Hindu Culture, and of cultures more generally. The Centre seeks to unite the poles which so often divide the academy - of multi-disciplinary approaches, of both Western and Indian scholarly experience, of both ancient and modern culture, and of theory and real practice. She expressed her hope that, in filling the gaps that fragment our picture of Indic culture, this model of academic understanding will flourish in the years to come.

Oxford University News 

Oxford University has granted the status of ‘Recognised Independent Centre’ to the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) – a leading centre for the study of Hindu traditions.

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, established seven years ago, is a resource for scholars, media, and the business community, seeking reliable information on Hindu philosophy, culture, and practice. It is funded by public subscription.

The new formal status, ‘Recognised Independent Centre of Oxford University’, has been created by Oxford University to acknowledge independent institutions that are working with the University in research and teaching. Around 50 Oxford University students currently use the facilities of the Centre.The Centre’s Academic Director, Professor Gavin Flood, is also a member of Oxford University’s Faculty of Theology.

Professor Flood said:‘Recognised Independent Centre of Oxford University is a title we are proud to bear. It is an official recognition by the University that we are its principal provider in the field of Hindu Studies, and thus a duly constituted member of the University’s community.

‘This development is important because culture and religion are of fundamental public concern as we move into the 21st century. We see this concern particularly in questions of identity politics, the degree to which diverse communities share common values, and the ways in which ethical codes interact with secular law.’

The Chancellor of Oxford University, Lord Patten of Barnes, said: ‘This development in the field of Hindu Studies at Oxford is very exciting. It is an important addition to Oxford’s wealth of resources on India and Indian religious traditions. It fits in well with our goal to attract more Indian students to come and study at Oxford. The new official association provides a platform for the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Oxford University to move forward together in teaching, research and publishing.’

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies continues the remarkable development of Indian Studies at Oxford in recent years. The Boden Chair of Sanskrit was established in 1830 and the twentieth century saw the addition of the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religions and Ethics (formerly held by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, later President of India). That chair expanded Oxford’s work into new areas such as Hindu Theology and Philosophy. The recently-established Chair in Indian History and Culture, funded by a munificent benefaction from the Government of India, is helping to make Indian Studies ever more central to the University’s academic mission. Through the work of this Chair and the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, the University is well placed to continue forming ambitious new partnerships between Oxford and contemporary India.

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/po/news/2005-06/jun/26.shtml

Readers here might be interested to know about the H-Asia discussion network, at
http://www.h-net.org/~asia/
Here’s the site’s own intro:

Welcome to H-Asia, a member of H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences OnLine. The primary purpose of H-ASIA is to enable historians and other Asia scholars to easily communicate current research and teaching interests; to discuss new articles, books, papers, approaches, methods and tools of analysis; to test new ideas and share comments and tips on teaching. H-Asia is especially committed to discussing region wide, comparative and professional issues important to scholars of Asia.

And note the H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences Online as well: ‘tons’ of scholarly discussion networks to keep you glued to your screen ’til the wee hours.