Season 02, Ep 08: In conversation with Thomas Hansen
Earlier this month, South Asian Today reported 13 Academic Fellows resigned from the University of Melbourne’s Australia India Institute alleging restricted academic freedom and raising concerns around the Institute’s approach toward research on matters of Hindu nationalism. There is also a strong indication of interference by the Indian High Commission in the Institute’s operations.
In May 2019, a public lecture by Thomas Blom Hansen on ‘violence’ was downgraded to an invite-only seminar. In a recent interview with The Wire, The Institute’s founding director Professor Amitabh Mattoo alleged it was changed due to security concerns and suggested the Institute’s then CEO Craig Jeffrey was responsible for it.
Dilpreet speaks with Thomas about his lecture, if the Institute was in fact intimidated by higher authorities in the Indian Consulate General and why must the University of Melbourne step up.
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Dilpreet Kaur is a former employee of the Australia India Institute ending her two-year work relationship in March 2021.