In recent years, South Asia has grown in academic and political importance. The Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) works to strengthen South Asian Studies at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa and to sustain the university's historical prominence in this increasingly relevant field of study.

Each year, the CSAS organizes an internationally recognized Spring Symposium on interdisciplinary topics relating to South Asian Studies. In addition, and with minimal staff, it hosts visiting distinguished scholars, publishes an annual newsletter, funds and organizes colloquia independently and on behalf of other UHM departments, serves as coordinator for UHM's South Asia Studies community and its interests, and offers generous graduate and undergraduate student J. Watumull scholarships for the study of India.

The 25th annual CSAS Spring Symposium will take place from April 9-12th, 2008 in the Center for Korean Studies Auditorium. Panel presentations and guest lectures will focus interdisciplinary attention around the theme of "The Body in South Asian Contexts." Guest speakers will include Dr. Lawrence Cohen (UC Berkeley), Dr. Ketu Katrak (UC Irvine), Dr. Sohini Ray (Institute of Manipuri Dance), and Dr. Satadru Sen (Queens College, CUNY).

This general consideration of the Body in South Asian contexts will be followed on Saturday, April 12th with a day of focused workshops on the subject of "Caste in the Contemporary World." Invited speakers for the Caste portion of the Symposium will include MSS Pandian (2008 Rama Watumull Distinguished Visiting Scholar and a member of the Subaltern Studies Collective), Anupama Rao (Barnard College), and Ramnarayan Rawat (University of Pennsylvania). Workshops will be structured so that short presentations leave ample time for discussion.     

The CSAS traditionally strives to make cultural programming an integral part of each year's Spring Symposium. This year's symposium will feature a public demonstration of Manipuri dance on the evening of Thursday, April 10th, and a guided tour of the Honolulu Academy of Art on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9th. All events are open to the public.

For more information on the UHM Center for South Asian Studies and our upcoming events, please visit the center's website at http://www.hawaii.edu/csas.