politics on Indology

[Matthew Kapstein]

I am in general agreement with the view that Indology
should not be used to air political opinions and
expressions of outrage. However, the intimidation
of Indological scholars and the destruction of resources does
directly impact upon the conditions for work in
our discipline, so that it seems entirely appropriate that
information concerning such matters should be distributed
via Indology. Moreover, information regarding appropriate
means of protest and the representation of the views of
scholars in the field should I think also be distributed
in this way. (I'm thinking, for instance, of messages
providing names and addresses
of persons to whom letters of protest or support, as the
case may be, should be addressed.) Though it's not always
clear just where to draw the line, the distribution
of concrete information bearing directly upon the health of our field
should be permitted and encouraged on the Indology list.

Matthew Kapstein
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris
The University of Chicago