Panel Discussion on Reimagining India's Medieval History
An insightful conversation in locating how medieval histories of India have been reframed, rediscovered, and retold
On Thursday, 21 November, TORCH hosted a panel discussion at St. Luke's Chapel, featuring Professor Sarah Ansari (Royal Holloway College), Professor Nandini Chatterjee (University of Oxford), Professor Fouzia Farooq (Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad and TORCH Global Visiting Professor), and Dr. Moin Nizami (Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies).
The panel led an intriguing conversation into how states, communities, and even families (as a category of analysis) reconfigure and reimagine medieval histories in the context of their evolving constructions of identity. Through their discussion, the panel highlighted the various ways in which history continues to shape and define the present. Despite the infamous Oxonian winter arriving at the city's doorstep full force earlier that evening, the event was attended by an enthusiastic and engaged audience. During the Q&A sessions, the conversation took several compelling turns, particularly around state-driven definitions of national history, the censure of mother tongues, and the erasure of specific historical events in educational textbooks. One of the central themes of the evening was the idea of history as a fluid construct, molded by power structures, politics, and the agentic desire of citizens, subjects, and the state, to create coherent national identities. Whether through the glorification of certain past events or the selective omission of others, the panelists illustrated how history is not just a static record of the past, but a dynamic force that continues to shape modern politics and culture.
In closing, the panel reminded the audience that our relationship with history is far from neutral. Instead, history is continually being "re-imagined" to fit the needs of those in power and those who vy for more power. This reflection on the reconfiguration of history through the lens of identity provided a valuable opportunity to consider the broader implications of historical narratives in our increasingly complex world.
