We are pleased to announce the 19^th issue of the Newsletter of the CEIAS.

Editorial

 

Since the last issue of the newsletter in Fall 2019, we were struck by the COVID 19 pandemic, which forced us into a two-month lockdown during the spring, and for a second time just a few days ago. This unprecedented health crisis has of course had a heavy impact on our scientific activities, making any travel impossible, for example. It has also had terrible consequences on our students, starting with those who already live in more than precarious conditions. Thanks to weekly meetings of the CEIAS directors and also with the DUs (Research Unit Directors) and the vice-presidency of EHESS, we have tried to answer the most urgent questions resulting from this crisis.

The contents of this issue nevertheless indicate that our collective scientific activities have carried on. Firstly, the Fall 2020 Newsletter presents the seminars that will be held by the members of the Center throughout the upcoming year; they have started up again this autumn in the hybrid in-person/video-conference form recommended by the EHESS, and with a limited number of participants in the room (although even that minimal level of presence has now been suspended for at least a month). The “Focus On” section deals with a variety of issues. It starts with a very important topic concerning the life of our Center: the merger with a closely related center, the CEH (Himalayan Studies Center). Members of the CEIAS and CEH met in Roscoff for three days, to begin thinking about the modalities of this merger. Secondly, there is a report on the project funded by the ANR (National Research Agency) and entitled “I-Share: The Indian Subcontinent’s Shared Sacred Sites.” And the section ends with the issue of the freedom of the media in India.

 

In the section “From the Field,” the contributions highlight work devoted to varied aspects of research, such as archaeological work in Bangladesh and in South India, and the making of a documentary on apple monoculture in the Himalayas. Then in addition to CEIAS members’ latest publications, a brief notice on the latest issue of the CEIAS series Purusartha is included. It is then followed by a presentation of the book recently published in India by the EMOPOLIS program.

The last two parts include a “Welcome” section, and a “Congratulations” section. For the first, the directorial board is quite delighted to welcome new members. Last but not least, the year 2020 has been more than auspicious in different areas, in which CEIAS members have seen their work recognized, obtained new positions, or been promoted. And finally, the directors are quite pleased to congratulate the five new PhDs who have successfully defended their theses during the last academic year.

We would like to say that, given the particular conditions caused by this pandemic, we have managed to maintain a sustained level of activity. At a time when its resurgence prevents us from anticipating part of our usual scientific activities, the directorial board wants to reaffirm what it considers to be a priority: to be attentive to all the members who make up the diversity and richness of the CEIAS.

 

Newsletter No. 19 - Fall 2020

A pdf version is available for download