I have already made the suggestion that those who aspire to dedicate their time to what they consider a substantial problem of their discipline establish a discussion forum and deal with the matter exhaustively there. Interested Indologists should be encouraged to subscribe.
The idea voiced that only male persons would have taken a specific stand in this discussion shows little respect for, or even ignores, the gender theory. This argument should vice versa also be applied on the ladies involved. How can we really know what identities hide behind biological features? So what can be deduced from the argument "they are all men"?
As INDOLOGY is supposed to serve scholars, they may expect that quantifying statements made on this list be supported by evidence. There is no scholarship without evidence. The three harrassed women do have my deepest sympathies, but the (accused or convicted?) perpetrator was one man. One South Asianist. At Berkeley. In the USA. With all due respect Berkeley does indeed deserve, the local American academia must not be mistaken for the hub of the world representing Indologists in any global sense, tempting as it may seem for some.
Construing a significant problem for Indology on also other continents in the world by presenting the evidence of one lone South Asianist, at Berkeley, in the USA, takes a narrow view, is clearly at odds with statistical data, and appears to be a bold step indeed. The globalizing and unfounded insinuations resulting from it, putting the whole world of Indology under general sexual harrassment suspicion, might be taken as another reason why this discussion should in my opinion rather be discontinued in a scholarly forum such as INDOLOGY.
One last remark. While the reporting media we have been informed about speak of „professors in South Asian studies“, disputants on this list have tacitly transformed them into „Indologists“ for claiming a fundamental moral crisis in „our discipline“, i.e. Indology. There is however a difference between South Asianists and Indologists, ironically brought to the point by Sheldon Pollock: „[...] The word, the phrase ‚South Asia‘ was invented in Washington D.C. at the State Department. [...] I am a professor of South Asia Studies. I am a professor of a region that does not exist ...“. („Why a Library of Classical Indian Literature?“ Jaipur Literature Festival 2015. On YouTube, min. 42.43 ff).
It is not only because Indology in contrast continues to have a subject of research that I feel uncomfortable with implicit identifications with South Asianists of dubious ethical behaviour. I prefer the notion of an Indologist for many reasons, one among them that I dislike – and be it in name of a South Asianist only – becoming harnessed to the geopolitical carriage of interests which Washington D.C. has been pursuing in an Asia they have filleted themselves.
With this, my part in this discussion ends.
Cheers,
WS
Sexual harassment deeply affects scholarship, and it is a problem in Indology.All three women harassed by Wentworth have publicly expressed that these events have negatively impacted their studies. One has discontinued her studies. So, these events are shaping the scholarship that we all read and share on this list by driving away future colleagues.Sexual harassment is a significant problem in our discipline, my friends. It's not just a general problem in the academy and the world -- it is our problem. I would encourage the men, and they are all men, who cannot handle this thread to halt the avoidance tactics and instead focus on what they can do to tackle this substantial problem.
Audrey TruschkeAssistant ProfessorDepartment of HistoryRutgers University-NewarkMellon Postdoctoral FellowDepartment of Religious StudiesStanford UniversityAnd then, there are people reluctant to say their opinion, because it is very well-know what's the general flock's opinion about sexist behaviours as much as it's well-known that this kind of misbehaviours are rooted in every stratum of society.Sincerely,PaoloOn 6 October 2016 at 10:07, Paolo Magnone <paolo.magnone@unicatt.it> wrote:Dear Walter,
Of course, you are unquestionably right. But you will never win. There are so many people, in this list as in the world at large, eager to flock together under the banners of political correctness, gender solidarity and what not. On the other hand, most people who share you views will not speak up, lest they should imperil their popularity. So, the more vocal majority shall have their way, no matter how utterly meaningless it may be to discuss the merely *factual* behaviour of Caitra, Maitra or Viṣṇuyaśas (as contrasted with discussing general *principle* questions touching on Indology, like censorship in India etc.) in an indological list.
Paolo Magnone
--
Paolo Magnone
Sanskrit Language and Literature
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart - Milan
History of Religions - Hinduism & Buddhism
Theological Faculty of Northern Italy - Milan
Jambudvipa - Indology and Sanskrit Studies (www.jambudvipa.net)
Academia.edu: http://unicatt.academia.edu/PaoloMagnone
On 06/10/2016 08:19, Walter Slaje wrote:
Might I draw the gentle readership’s attention to the purpose of this list as published on their guidelines page (http://listinfo.indology.info
/ ):
INDOLOGY forum for Classical South Asian studies:
INDOLOGY is an internet discussion group whose primary purpose is to provide a forum for discussion among professional scholars of classical Indian (South Asian) civilization. The central focus of the list is the history and culture of ancient and classical India [...]
It is clear from this statement – but also from the general practice followed so far by its members – that the list is to focus on research pertaining to „ancient and classical India“ – but not to pursuing the immoral conduct of selected American South Asianists. To this day it has served the purely scholarly purpose very well indeed.
I am concerned that the shift now introduced towards naming and shaming is not only a violation of the guidelines above, but will undermine the reputation of the list and make scholars, who feel disgusted by public pillorying, turn away from it. After all, it is for the courts to assess, for the media to publicize, and for the tabloids to expose.
I can see no scholarship in any of it which would befit this list.
It is certainly legitimate to take an interest in the morals of South Asian scholars. Whoever does so and considers the issue important enough might perhaps want to establish something like The American South Asianists Immorality Discussion Forum. I really don’t think we should subscribe to such news feed here on this list.
Regards,
WS
2016-10-05 20:56 GMT+02:00 Antonia Ruppel <rhododaktylos@gmail.com>:
Dear Audrey,
Many thanks for the links and the excellent overview. You're absolutely right that we need to be aware of what is going on. Whenever something like this comes to light about someone who is a colleague or perhaps even a friend, it is shocking and uncomfortable. Still, the more information we have, the better we are able to find the right side to be on here. (And yes, I think that unfortunately there are sides here, and many of us close enough to the situation need to choose one.)
All best,Antonia
On 29 September 2016 at 16:52, Audrey Truschke <audrey.truschke@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
List members may be interested in an ongoing sexual harassment scandal at UC Berkeley involving an Indologist, Blake Wentworth.
Wentworth, who works on classical Tamil literature, was found guilty of sexual harassment and misconduct last year by the university, and three of his victims came forward with details of the case (here and here) after being frustrated with delays in firing Wentworth.
Now Wentworth is trying to silence the women he harassed with a defamation lawsuit (here).
As many of you know, sexual harassment is an ongoing issue in many disciplines, and our corner of the academy, it seems, is no exception.
Audrey TruschkeAssistant ProfessorDepartment of History
Rutgers University-Newark
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Antonia RuppelRichmond (UK)
Out soon: The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit
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--Paolo E. RosatiOriental ArchaeologistPhD candidate in "Civilizations of Asia and Africa"
South Asia SectionDep. Italian Institute of Oriental Studies/ISO
'Sapienza' University of Rome
https://uniroma1.academia.edu/PaoloRosati/ Skype: paoloe.rosati
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