MEDIA RELEASE: Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS) engaged in an International Centre of Advanced Studies

What counts as political, and who decides? In response to the new role of the nation-state in a globalised order and the rise of novel forms of social action and mobilisation these questions are now at the centre of debate about "Metamorphoses of the Political" in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Centre for Modern Indian Studies of Göttingen University is part of a German-Indian consortium of universities and research institutions starting "M.S. Merian - R. Tagore International Centre of Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Metamorphoses of the Political (ICAS:MP)" in New Delhi. The Centre is the first of its kind to be funded abroad by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The project, planned for 12 years, will begin with a two-year preparatory phase, for which funding of 1 million Euro has been recently approved.

Comprising 65 renowned core researchers, the centre will further draw on the expertise of fellows from around the world. Through an innovative structure it will be a forum as well as a centre for international com-parative and transregional research. Moreover, located on the Indian subcontinent the aim is to con-sciously unsettle Eurocentrism in debates on the political. Researchers from CeMIS in Göttingen will con-tribute to projects so far: "Labour as a Political Category" led by Prof. Dr. Ravi Ahuja and "Critiques and Renewals of Democracy" led by Prof. Dr. Rupa Viswanath and Prof. Dr. Srirupa Roy. These projects receive funding of 180,000 Euro in the preparatory phase.

"ICAS:MP is the result of our close collaboration as equal partners in the Humanities and Social Sciences so far", Prof. Ahuja says. "This becomes apparent in the structure as global scientific network. The fact that the centre itself is located in India will help to develop new perspectives on the subject. Moreover, the funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is a recognition of international research and teaching at Göttingen University as well as of the interdisciplinary and transregional concept of CeMIS."

The project partners are the CeMIS, the Centre for Modern India, University of Würzburg, the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, University of Erfurt and the Max Weber Foundation, Bonn, with the German Historical Institute London and in India the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi, the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences Calcutta and the Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi. In early October 2015 Chancelor Angela Merkel and Indian Primeminister Shri Narendra Modi stated that the new Centre of Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences in India shall be the core of an ambitious project and a visible stage for the collaboration of renowned scientists of both nations.

Click here to go to the ICAS:MP website