Perhaps a modest suggestion: is there a rationale for this discussion that helps us, as scholars of Indian studies, understand our field and its position better? With respect to issues of censorship the answer is unequivocal: yes, this is a highly relevant issue to the field as a whole. With regard to the behavior of individual academics, setting aside the rights and wrongs of allegations (and by this expression I do not intend to comment, even obliquely, on either colleague who is or was at Berkeley), does consideration of the case(s) help us understand the situation of the field? I think that the answer here is that it does not. Yes, as academics many of whom teach, who intereact with others, over many of whom we may be in positions of authority, it is essential that we be aware of issues of abuse of power, but this is as general an issue as almost any other: there is nothing specific to Indian studies, and therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that we not discuss this on this particular list.
I think the wording of this particular discussion may have rubbed some people the wrong way, if it was understood to imply that issues like sexual harrassment and abuses of power are not important. I, speaking only for myself, think that they are very important, but also not relevant for this list. They _type_ of discussion, that is, its subject-matter, seems to me quite different from that of censorship, which I think is perfectly legitimately discussed here.
The modest suggestion, then, in the end: I tell my students that they are free at any point to interrupt me and ask why I am discussing a certain topic: I consider myself to have gone off track if I cannot clearly explain to them the coherence of my discussion at any moment with the topic of the course as a whole. Perhaps we could try to apply that reasoning here, and think to ourselves whether the topic in question applies relevantly _to the field of Indian studies_?
just an idea...
Jonathan

On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 9:05 AM, James Stewart <james.stewart@lankamail.com> wrote:
Dear Walter, 

While I appreciate your point I should draw your attention to the fact that there have been vigorous discussions about censorship in India, a matter that pertains to contemporary Indology but is not explicit concerned with the "history and culture of ancient and classical India." I don't recall members being quick to shut down that discussion. 

Regards

James

Sent from my iPhone

On 6 Oct 2016, at 5:19 PM, Walter Slaje <slaje@kabelmail.de> 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 Truschke
Assistant Professor
Department of History
Rutgers University-Newark

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