Jewish-Indian transcultural encounters in the mid-twentieth century

Biswas, Tatini (2024) Jewish-Indian transcultural encounters in the mid-twentieth century. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on literary writings by and about European Jewish refugees in India and Indo-Jewish transcultural exchanges in the mid-twentieth century. To trace these neglected, often transformative exchanges between Jews and Indians, the project adopts a literary approach drawing on exile studies, postcolonial studies and memory studies. These texts bear witness to genocidal violence, exile, and consequent shifts in national identities. Through an exploration of intellectual exchanges, memoir, and fiction, this case study in multidirectional memory (Rothberg 2009) reveals new connections and constellations between European Jewish culture and the founding decades of modern India.

By considering fictional and non-fictional accounts of Jewish-Indian transcultural encounters, this project addresses the gap between cultural representations of Jewish refugee history and the founding decades of decolonised India. Presenting an alternative history against the grand narrative of British colonial history, this project complicates the India/Britain binary, adding a multicultural perspective to our understanding of modern India. It traces the way in which India, and Indians, are inscribed in the Jewish refugee experience and vice-versa. The project seeks to do justice to this unexplored chapter in cultural history, exploring interconnections between two global cultures. The project explores whether it is possible to align the discourse of Jewish affliction during and after the Holocaust with postcolonial studies in terms of the Indian context, as suggested by Aamir Mufti (The Jewish Question and Postcolonialism, 2007). I will consider the link between antisemitism and colonialism and examine how these two very different histories can be remembered in a dialogic process.

The approach draws on Rothberg’s concept of ‘multidirectional memory’: making comparisons and connections between different histories of oppression in order to ‘provide the grounds for new forms of collectivity.’ Tracing dialogues across borders, this project uncovers new forms of Indian-Jewish solidarity. This will build on the work of Aimé Césaire and Bryan Cheyette, making connections between Jewish studies and postcolonial studies. Moving between Indian and Jewish perspectives enables the project to reflect on historical connectedness across race, gender and class. As such, the case studies outlined here have the potential to inform current debates on decolonising the curriculum, particularly within Jewish Studies and de-Europeanizing Holocaust studies.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion; P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Spiro, Dr. Mia, Schonfield, Dr. Ernest and Singh, Dr. Akshi
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84549
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 10 Sep 2024 14:59
• Last Modified: 10 Sep 2024 15:02
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84549
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84549