AMU Faculty attend International Conference CCS-2013

ALIGARH.Professor Mohammad Afzal Khan, Dr Roohi Abida Ahmed and Dr. Hassan Imam from the Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University participated in the First International Conference on Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCS-2013) at Singapore and presented their Research papers.
Professor Afzal Khan in his paper, “Cultural Linkage between India and
Iran: A Study of Mughal Art and Architecture”, tried to establish a
cultural link between India and Iran by narrating the architectural
features of the Mughal style that was taking shape and developing in India
under the influence of Iranian nobles. His study shows that India and Iran
were linked together by ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural bonds
since time immemorial that can be found in its cultural values, traditions
and ideas. He emphasised that Iran being one of the great centres of art,
literature and science, has very prosperous traditions.
Dr Roohi Abida Ahmed, Associate Professor in History (WC) presented paper
on “Encountering the Mongol: The Delhi Sultanate during 13th Century”. She
tried to look Mongols problem from different perspectives. Her paper
analysed the positive aspects of Mongol invasions under Chengis Khan in the
context of cultural and intellectual developments in the Sultanate period.
As a result of the destruction caused by Mongols, a large number of
refugees belonging to distinguished families from Muslim centers migrated
to India, along with their art and tradition that helped Delhi Sultanate in
process of its cultural formation.
Dr. Hassan Imam talked on “From Mahatma to God: Understanding Gandhi in
Cultural Perspectives of the Indian National Movement”. He drew largely
from the sources that had been banned by the British. Dr. Imam focused on
the subaltern concept of history writing and tried to examine Mahatma
Gandhi’s picture from subaltern perspectives. He raised a number of issues
relating to Mahatma Gandhi as to how he acquired a position of ‘God’ in
popular imagination. His paper was appreciated by Prof. Douglas Francis of
Canada, Prof. King Sang Ricardo Mak and others present in the CCS
Conference at Singapore.