NYU SASPI (South Asian Studies Program Initiative) presents our annual Global South Asia Conference 2010:

Our annual conference for 2010 is aimed at informing the students, professionals, and academics of the New York City and tri-state community about the current pressing South Asian issues, to promote awareness, and to create a dialogue that is not addressed in mainstream media or public opinion.  This year, we have decided our theme to be "Powers in the Periphery." This theme would encompass the issues of political transitions, economic growth and development, borders in the context of South Asia, and what all of this means for the present conditions of its people. On an even broader scale, the question would read whether how South Asian countries are understood or misunderstood in their current contexts.

Powers in the Periphery

February, 13th 2010 Rosenthal Pavilion, NYU Kimmel Center 10th fl. 

1. 9:30 – 10:00 am Greeting and Introductions

Neeha Mujeeb; SASPI President, Jenny Leavitt and Ajay Palaparty; SASPI conference coordinators

Ritty Lukose, New York University 

2.10:00 – 10:30 am Opening Presentation

Kim Barker, Council on Foreign Relations

"The Afghan Government since 2002: Corruption, warlords, and why Parliament matters" 

3.10:30-12:00 pm Powers on World Stage

Chair: Dr. Hassan Abbas, Asia Society, Columbia University

"Democratic Transition in Pakistan"

Ahilan Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka Democracy Forum, Himal Southasian Magazine, the Kafila Collective

"Internationalizing Lanka: The Idea of Southasia after the War"  

Dina Siddiqi, independent scholar and research consultant

"Staging the Nation: Cultural Politics of Islam in Bangladesh"

Arvind Rajagopal, New York University

"Political Terror: Mumbai 11/26 and After"

Bandita Sijapati, author of A Kingdom Under Siege

"In Pursuit of Inclusion: Regionalism, Madhesi Identity and the 'New' Nepal"

4.12:00 – 1 pm Keynote Luncheon

Mallika Dutt, Breakthrough

"Media Leading Change"

5.1:00 – 2:00 pm The Financial Crisis, Economy, and the Politics of Development

Chair: Anwar Shaikh, The New School

"The Relation Between Neoliberal Policies and the Current Crisis"

Sanjay Reddy, The New School

"Development and Other Unpleasant Ideas"

Maliha Safri, Drew University 

"The Develpment of a Dual Political Economy in Afghanistan"

6. 2:00 - 3:45 Sri Lanka:  Return of the Displaced and Political Reconciliation

Chair: Ahilan Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka Democracy Forum, Himal Southasian Magazine, Kafila Collective

Sharika Thiranagama, The New School  

"Houses of the Future: Return and Reconciliation amongst Northern Muslims and Tamils"

V. V. (Sugi) Ganeshananthan, The University of Michigan, Lanka Solidarity, journalist and author of Love Marriage  

"Dialogue in the Diaspora"

7. 3:45 – 4:30 Marginalization and Empowerment

Chair: Aruna Magier, New York University

Huma Ahmed-Ghosh, Brooklyn College, CUNY, San Diego State University

"The Politics of Teaching Gender and Islam in the USA"

Luna Ranjit, Executive Director, Adhikaar

"Nepalis in New York: Challenges of an Emerging Community"

4:30 – 4:45 Coffee Break

8. 4:45 – 5:15 Evening Keynote

Nusrat Durrani, MTV World

 "Subterranean Revolutions"

9. 5:15-5:25 Resources for Studying and Researching on South Asia at NYU

Aruna Magier, New York University South Asia Librarian

10. 5:25 Closing remarks and Reception

Suketu Mehta, New York University