Introduction: South Africa-India: Towards close scholarly ties

Inleiding: Suid-Afrika-Indië: Die bevordering van hegte vakkundige bande

Isabel Hofmeyr

Isabel Hofmeyr is Professor of African Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand where she is also Acting Director of the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa and Co-ordinator of the South Africa-India Research Group (www wits ac za/research/sa-india) She is currently working on a project on Indian Ocean textual circulation

ABSTRACT

This article sets out a new body of historiography that explores connections and comparisons between South Africa and India. The article explains the factors behind the emergence of this body of work. On the one hand, the political transition in South Africa has enabled a free flow of people and ideas to and from India. On the other, the transnational turn in the humanities and social sciences has facilitated a move beyond national, regional and areas studies models which constrained older historiographies. The article concludes by placing the articles in this special collection in this emerging historiography.

Keywords: African and Indian nationalism; comparative history; connected histories; Gandhi; Indian Ocean Studies; neo-Gandhism; passive resistance; satyagraha; South Africa-India; transnationalism

OPSOMMING

Hierdie artikel sit 'n nuwe historiografiese groep wat die verbintenisse en vergelykings tussen Suid-Afrika en Indië ondersoek, uiteen. Die artikel verduidelik die omstandighede agter die verskyning van hierdie groep. Aan die een kant het die politieke oorgang in Suid-Afrika die vrye vloei van mense en idees na en van Indië moontlik gemaak. Aan die ander kant het die transnasionale wending in die geesteswetenskappe en sosiale wetenskappe n skuif verby nasionale, streeks- en gebiedstudiemodelle wat ouer historiografieë beperk het, vergemaklik. Die artikel sluit af deur die artikels in hierdie spesiale versameling in die konteks van hierdie opkomende historiografie te plaas.

Sleutelwoorde: Aaneengeskakelde geskiedenisse; Afrika en Indiese nasionalisme; Gandhi; Indiese Oseaanstudies; neo-Gandhiïsme; passiewe weerstand; satyagraha; Suid-Afrika-Indië; transnasionalisme; vergelykende geskiedenis

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