Radical Futures or Pristine Pasts? : The Afterlives of Anti-Casteism in Western India

Lower caste assertion in colonial India has been a topic of critical interest for several researchers in the recent past. The Satyashodhak Movement (Truth-Seeking movement) spearheaded by Jotirao Phule in 1873 is one such important movement. However, this movement has largely been studied in a teleological manner, from its birth as a social movement in 1873, to its culmination into a political party in 1920. In this presentation, I will argue that the ideological currents of the Satyashodhak variant of non-Brahmanism underwent seismic shifts after 1890.

Being Hindu, Being Indian: Lala Lajpat Rai’s Ideas of Nationhood

'Being Hindu, Being Indian' undertakes a systematic intellectual study of Lala Lajpat Rai’s nationalist thought through his active political life, spanning 1888 and 1928. Contesting the dominant scholarly interpretation of Lajpat Rai’s nationalism as the precursor of Savarkarite Hindutva, it highlights the internally differentiated nature of ‘Hindu nationalism’. An examination of Lajpat Rai's thought as a Hindu Mahasabha in the mid-1920s reveals that Rai organised a Hindu politics in service of a secular Indian nation-state.

Lord Chris Smith in conversation

Join Worcester College Provost, David Isaac CBE, as he interviews leading role models about their lives and careers. Chris Smith, The Rt Hon. the Lord Smith of Finsbury, was Labour MP for Islington South & Finsbury from 1983 to 2005. During this time, he became the first British MP to 'come out' and was the world's first openly gay cabinet minister. He served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport between 1997 and 2001, overseeing the reintroduction of free museum entry in the UK.

Expanding the Community of Fate by Expanding the Community of Care

If you are interested in attending any of these events, please send an email to plp@law.ox.ac.uk to indicate i) which events you plan to attend, ii) whether you would like to join the speaker for dinner that evening, iii) whether you plan to attend the student seminar accompanying the Colloquium.

For more information, visit the PLP Colloquium website:
https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/research-and-subject-groups/jurisprudence-oxford/PLP-colloquium
where up-to-date information is listed.

The Present and Future of US Politics: The Urban-Suburban Divide

As the United States heads into a high-stakes presidential election, this seminar series explores the structural problems and political challenges behind the headlines. We examine why American politics is so polarised and ask: what is at stake in the 2024 elections?

The seminars will open with a short presentation by an expert, followed by questions and discussion. Everyone with an interest in US politics is welcome. Lunch will be available.

Week 1: The Urban-Suburban Divide
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