American Studies on the Indian Subcontinent
American Studies on the Indian Subcontinent

Summary/Abstract: When we speak of ‘American Studies’, what exactly do we mean? This question came to my mind when I participated as Resource Person at an American Studies Institute held at Dartmouth where, under the rubric of ‘American Studies’ a variety of topics was dealt with, ranging from nineteenth-century Whitman studies to current topics like Abu Ghraib, from media and popular culture to interpersonal relationships among ethnic minorities, from academic experiments to racial eccentricities. Clearly, for the American audience attending the workshop, American Studies was anything and everything that dealt with the myriad hues of America.Elsewhere in the world, however, the notion of ‘American Studies’ is somewhat different. In the Indian subcontinent, where I am located, while the basic premises remain the same, there is a more or less fixed component allocated to the discipline which involves the study of American history, political relations, literature, culture, and of late, multi-ethnic studies. American Studies was initiated in the mid-twentieth century, courtesy US government agencies, as a gesture of peace and goodwill. Most American Studies programs still operate through this conduit. American Studies here comprises an American component in the syllabus, some conferences, seminars, workshops or lectures on related subjects. The approach is fairly predictable in this part of the world.

• Details
• Contents