Concept

2009 is the centenary year of Hind Swaraj- a small book written by M.K. Gandhi in 1909 on the impacts of the British Raj. The text, which was written in a simple question-answer format, not only discussed some of the most debatable social, political and economic issues of its own time, but also produced a well-structured critique of western dominance and its cultural consequences. In fact, it became a classical commentary on colonial modernity.

The general convention everywhere is to commemorate persons and events. However, we have taken the initiative to commemorate what is arguably one of the greatest texts that emerged from the anti-colonial movement. It is therefore the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla is collaborating with Centre for the Study of Developing Societies Delhi to organise an event to commemorate this important text through a three-day International Conference on Hind Swaraj, on 17th, 18th and 19th May 2009 followed by a Volume. 

Hind Swaraj is still very relevant. The widespread disillusionment with western civilisation, not only in Islamic countries, but also elsewhere, reminds us that we need to go beyond the given categorisations such as west versus restor democracy versus terrorism. The hegemonic idea that the western model of development needs to be adopted by Third World nations for achieving progress is being challenged; democracy, which has always been seen as a gift of the west, has been successfully accommodated in various non-western settings; and above all there is cultural critique of the west, which questions western individualism and underlines communitarian values.  Gandhi could visualise this disillusionment 100 yeas ago by making a sharp distinction between western civilisation, which had its own history and culture, and the processes of modernity. His text, more broadly, suggests that we need to pay attention to search for genuine, micro, context-oriented answers. The conference, in this sense, will provide an opportunity to discuss this important, yet unexplored area.
                  
The radical politics of people's movements, particularly the environmental movements and the tribal movements in India, also make Hind Swaraj very relevant today. Reiterating the political values of non-violence and satyagrah, these movements have attempted to define their political agendas in a language of rights. In fact, a new kind of political thinking has emerged, which tries to interpret the existence of democratic institutions in a radical manner for asserting the given democratic rights. Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj has become a living political text for these movements.    

The Indian Institute of Advanced Study has had a history of a deep engagement with themes regarding the thought and legacy of Gandhi. In the seminar on “Religion and Society, held during the inauguration of the Institute in 1965, a special lecture on Religion of Gandhijiwas delivered by the eminent scholar Nirmal Kumar Bose. Subsequently, among other such endeavours, a major seminar on “Gandhi: Theory and Practice”, was organized in 1968. A Multidisciplinary Team Project on Gandhian Perspectiveswas launched by the Institute in 1994, following the seminar on “Gandhi and the Present Global Crisis” which discussed the broad contours of the project. The engagement of the Institute with Gandhi has been continues through which it has published a considerable number of monographs by eminent scholars on the subject.

The Centre has a special relationship with Gandhi's Hind Swaraj, which contains at least three strands which have been at the heart of the Centre's activities. One, the critique of modernity. This takes us in at least two directions: anti-modernity, and alternative modernity. Two, the critique of the West. This again takes us in two directions: anti-western, and recognition of two, if not many, Wests. And three, a commitment to swaraj in ideas, which is important for any meaningful idea of self-government. The Centre has a rich tradition of working on all these themes.

Themes

The following themes have been identified for the Conference. These themes are tentative and we hope that after receiving the actual papers from the participants, we shall be in a position to offer a concrete outline.  

We also felt that Hind Swaraj should be read in relation not only to the major texts that might have influenced Gandhi, but also other minor texts written during the period with which he may or may not have been familiar. We are also contacting scholars who could write on these minor texts and their influence on Gandhi.