‘The Creation of Public Meaning during Nepal’s Democratic Transition’ is a collaborative research project between the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London and Martin Chautari (MC), Kathmandu. The project is jointly coordinated by Prof. Michael Hutt of SOAS and Dr Pratyoush Onta of MC and is being funded by the British Academy under its International Partnership Scheme for the period March 2010 to March 2013.
The project will explore the ways in which the meaning of socio-political events and developments is constructed, conveyed and consumed in Nepal, focusing first upon spheres in which there is already a body of analysis, such as the print media and FM radio, but also exploring less well developed areas of research such as Nepali theatre, film, rumours and conspiracy theories, TV, poetry and popular song. The project will enhance our understanding of the democratic transition in Nepal, foster increased collaboration between Nepal-based and researchers in these fields based elsewhere, and increase the level of non-Nepali engagement with indigenous Nepali scholarship. This project will also entail staff exchanges between SOAS and MC for the purposes of teaching, research and workshop attendance.
Two workshops are planned in connection with this project. The first one was held at Martin Chautari, Kathmandu on 4-5 September 2011. Thirteen papers were presented and discussed over the two days. The second workshop will be held on 4-5 July 2012 at SOAS, London. A call for abstracts of papers to be presented in these workshops went out in spring 2010 and over 30 abstracts have been accepted. The texts of these abstracts may be read here, and project participants are invited to post any comments and suggestions they may have, for the benefit of their fellow researchers. It is intended to publish the papers from these workshops in an edited volume after the completion of the project; discussions at the first workshop will naturally flow into and influence discussions at the second. Further details about the second workshop in London will be available in early summer 2012.
