The Art of Opposition: Progressive Politics and Poetry from 1931-47
The Art of Opposition: Progressive Politics and Poetry from 1931-47
Mirza Jaffer Abid
Committee Chair: Carollee Bengelsdorf Member: Uditi Sen
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For Nana, who survived not one but two partitions. And Anas, whose daily life was partitioned.
Speak, for truth is living yet. Speak, whatever must be said. − - Faiz Ahmed Faiz
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Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Chapter 1: A Pleasant Conversation 3. Chapter 2: Returning 4. Chapter 3: Translating the Nation 5. Chapter 4: When Lines are Drawn 6. Chapter 5: Lal Singh's Encounter with Modernity 7. Conclusion 8. Bibliography 4 14 36 67 85 107 129 136
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Introduction It is a spirit in opposition, rather than in accommodation, that grips me because the romance, the interest, the challenge of intellectual life is to be founding dissent against the status quo at a time when the struggle on behalf of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups seems so unfairly weighted against them. - Edward Said Representation of the Intellectual In The Progressive Writers Association, therefore, we have the broadest organization of the Intellectuals of India, the largest bloc of writers who, what ever the difference in their standpoints, whatever their contradiction of philosophical, religious and cultural belief, join for common actions, in the defence of our old culture and the development, through a proper criticism of the past, of a new culture. In this Association, scholars, poets, novelists, essayists and lay readers, all stand united for the winning of our right to the democratic ideal, and to the economic, political and cultural freedom of India. - Mulk Raj Anand On the Progressive Writers Movement In 1991, the eminent scholar, critic and Palestinian intellectual Edward Said gave a series of lectures for the B.B.C. entitled Representations of the Intellectual. In these talks, later published as a collection of essays, Said laid out the many interpretations and roles of intellectuals. He cites first the Italian
Mirza Jaffer Abid
Committee Chair: Carollee Bengelsdorf Member: Uditi Sen
1
For Nana, who survived not one but two partitions. And Anas, whose daily life was partitioned.
Speak, for truth is living yet. Speak, whatever must be said. − - Faiz Ahmed Faiz
2
Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Chapter 1: A Pleasant Conversation 3. Chapter 2: Returning 4. Chapter 3: Translating the Nation 5. Chapter 4: When Lines are Drawn 6. Chapter 5: Lal Singh's Encounter with Modernity 7. Conclusion 8. Bibliography 4 14 36 67 85 107 129 136
3
Introduction It is a spirit in opposition, rather than in accommodation, that grips me because the romance, the interest, the challenge of intellectual life is to be founding dissent against the status quo at a time when the struggle on behalf of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups seems so unfairly weighted against them. - Edward Said Representation of the Intellectual In The Progressive Writers Association, therefore, we have the broadest organization of the Intellectuals of India, the largest bloc of writers who, what ever the difference in their standpoints, whatever their contradiction of philosophical, religious and cultural belief, join for common actions, in the defence of our old culture and the development, through a proper criticism of the past, of a new culture. In this Association, scholars, poets, novelists, essayists and lay readers, all stand united for the winning of our right to the democratic ideal, and to the economic, political and cultural freedom of India. - Mulk Raj Anand On the Progressive Writers Movement In 1991, the eminent scholar, critic and Palestinian intellectual Edward Said gave a series of lectures for the B.B.C. entitled Representations of the Intellectual. In these talks, later published as a collection of essays, Said laid out the many interpretations and roles of intellectuals. He cites first the Italian