Panel on Himalayan Climate Change: the RAI and British Museum's conference on Anthropology, Weather and Climate Change

This may be of interest to some of our members. The Royal Anthropological Institute and the British Museum will be hosting a special conference next May examining Anthropology's contribution to weather and climate research and discourse production. Himalayan anthropologist Ben Campbell and I are co-convening a panel that will explore climate science, its evidence and associated policies, and their interaction with local experience and interpretation in the Himalayan context. The focus is on anthropological method, but we do wish to consider this in the wider policy context. We therefore welcome those contributing to projects of conservationists, engineers, governmental and non-governmental organisations working with climate change agendas, as well as those engaged in more "classical" anthropological research.

If you are interested in submitting a paper, please follow the link below:

http://www.nomadit.co.uk/rai/events/rai2016/panels.php5?PanelID=3802

The Call for Papers will remain open until Friday, 8th January 2016.

The 17th IALS Conference Report

~   By Dr. Sonam Wangchok
     

       The 17th conference of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) was held at the Tourist Facilitation Centre, Kargil from 26-29, July 2015. The conference was organised by IALS in collaboration with LAHDC, Kargil and J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Kargil. A total of around 90 scholars, scientists and students from different parts of the world registered for the conference and attended various sessions, demonstrating a great interest to learn and share knowledge. Forty six papers, including 5 in Urdu, were presented and three documentary films were screened during the conference. The participants and presenters were of diverse background from within and outside Ladakh, including scholars from different universities. Unfortunately, some participants, including research students from Jammu University, could not make it to Kargil due to heavy rain fall and road blockage at Sonamarg.

The inaugural session took place at the Syed Mehdi Memorial Auditorium Hall Kargil on 26th July 2015. The Chairman of the J&K Legislative Council, Hajji Anayat Ali was the Chief Guest and Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC, Kargil, Hajji Hanifa Jan was the Guest of Honour for the inaugural session. This session started with a welcome speech by Gulzar Husain Munshi, the conference convener. This was followed by introductory speeches by IALS President John Bray and an insightful address from the keynote speaker, Prof. P.Stobdan, former Indian Ambassador. Executive Councilors, Syes Abass Razvi and Tsering Angdus were also present on the occasion.

The sessions on Climate Change and Water Management, Folk Art, Ethnography and Material Culture and Governance and political Change were successfully covered in three sessions on the first day. On the second day, there were sessions on Development, Religion and History, Agriculture and Heritage Conservation. Two documentary films were screened on the second day, including “In the Lap of the mountains: The Irrigation Systems of Ladakh’s Farming Communities” by Joe Hill and “Buddhist Art: a Fragile Inheritance” by Prof. David Park. The Biennial General Meeting of the Association took place after the final session. The conference dinner was held at Tourist Facilitation Centre on the same day.

Day Three included sessions on Folk Art, Ethnography and Material Culture (2), Art and Architecture, papers in Urdu, Biodiversity Conservation, Heritage Conservation (2), Contemporary Society and Contemporary History. The election results for the posts of President, Ladakh Liaison Officer and eight members in the advisory committee were also announced on the day three. Dr Sonam Wangchok was elected the president, Dr Konchok Paldan was elected as secretary uncontested and Tashi Morup was elected the Ladakh Liaison Officer. The elected members in the advisory committee include Tashi Ldawa Tsangspa, Kacho Mumtaz Khan, Dr Iqbal Ahmed, John Bray, Dr Amjad Ali, Dr Monisha Ahmed, Gulzar Husain Munshi and Tsewang Rigzin. The day ended with the screening of a documentary film “Hajira: The Story of a Woman Journalist in Ladakh” by Tashi Morup and Mabel Disket from LAMO, Leh. IALS is grateful to all presenters for ensuring that their papers were completed within the allotted time. An excursion tour to Kartse Khar and Hunderman village were organised on 29th July, 2015. This was followed by a dinner hosted by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil at tourist Facilitation Centre. Shri Hassan Khan, former Member of Parliament, Hajji Hanifa Jan, CEC Kargil, Brigadier V.P.S. Kaushik, Commander 121 Brig., Lt. Col. K. Swaminathan, AAG, 121 Brigade and executive councillors were also present at the dinner. The conference would not have been possible without the support of LAHDC, Kargil, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Kargil Development Authority, Tourism Department, Kargil and many individuals from Kargil, especially conference convenor Mr Gulzar Hussain Munshi and Deputy Secretary/Special Officer for Culture (Grade 1), Nazir Hussain and their team of volunteers. The Association is grateful to all the organisations and individuals who contributed to the success of the 17th IALS conference.

To end at personal note I am honoured to be the first Ladakhi to become the president of IALS in 35 years of the association. I take this as an opportunity more than a challenge to continue my aspirations for the success of the Association and look forward to working with executive and advisory committees and the larger membership of the Association. ~

   The participants of the 17th IALS Conference, Kargil
    Photo credit: IALS/Sunetro Ghosal

NOTICE for the second  WORKSHOP on :

~"RESEARCH IN LADAKH-SHARING EXPERIENCES AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES"~

is scheduled for  Saturday, 23rd May 2015 at Degree College, Kargil and it will be followed by two

more workshops in Leh at degree college and at Central Institute for Buddhist Studies, Choglamsar.

IALS executive members, advisors and scholars from Leh and

Kargil will attend the workshop. 

We are happy to invite participation of students interested in research and Ladakh Studies. 

For further

details contact secretaryials@ladakhstudies.org "

IALS conference meeting held in Kargil

The Kargil members and representatives of the Executive Committee of the International Association for Ladakh Studies held a meeting to formalise plans for the 17^th biennial IALS conference, which is scheduled to be held from 26 to 29 July, 2015. Conference convenor Gulzar Munshi and IALS secretary Dr. Sonam Wangchok jointly chaired the meeting.

At the meeting different issues related to the conference were discussed including potential venues and accommodation in Kargil for outstation participants. At this meeting it was decided to invite talks in Purigi, Bhoti and Urdu to encourage non English scholarship. Further it was also decided to provide concessions to local students from Kargil and Leh to encourage their participation.

Mohammed Ali Tak, cultural officer, Kargil also attended the meeting and suggested various cultural activities that would enrich the conference. In addition, members of the Student Educational Movement of Kargil (SEMOK) also attended the meeting and volunteered to help with the organisation of the conference.  It was then decided to waive off the conference fees for such volunteers. Conference convenor Gulzar Munshi expressed his happiness with the participant of the youth in the conference. He said, “They are the future and such opportunities provide exposure to our youth at the international level.”

Dr Sonam Wangchok, secretary IALS said, “It is very heartening to see the enthusiasm from the youth in Kargil and Leh for research. As a follow up to our previous research workshops, we plan to have a second set of workshops in Leh and Kargil in May as a build up to the conference.”

The 2015 ANHS Senior Fellowship Program Announcement: Senior Fellowship Award

Please see link to the Association of Nepal and Himalayan Studies' Senior Fellowship Award, which may provide an opportunity for some of our members to receive a small amount of research funding. The ANHS annually awards senior fellowships for support of short-term research or other scholarly projects that will advance knowledge of the Himalaya-Karakoram-Hindukush mountain regions. The fellowship will support work focusing on any aspect of Himalayan studies, and is open to members and non-members of the ANHS. The award for ANHS individual members or scholars affiliated with ANHS institutional members will be US$1,500. For all other scholars, the award will be US$1,250.

The deadline for submissions is 21st April 2015.

http://anhs-himalaya.org/qualifications-requirements-page/?cat=senior

Narratives of Ladakh: enquiry into the vernacular art and architecture in the high mountains

Please follow the link below for information on this interesting programme examining the aesthetic and practical value of Ladakh's vernacular art and architecture. The programme is being hosted this summer by the Institute of Design, Environment and Architecture at the Indus University, Ahmedabad. Exhibitions will also be held in Kargil and Ahmedabad in June this year.

It is of interest for students of art, art history, architecture, design and planning.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=942921735732138&set=gm.502655683205446&type=1

Landslide in Zangskar blocking the Tsarap

I appreciate we do not usually give much coverage to regional news stories on this blog but the landslide in Zangskar that has blocked the Tsarap downstream of Marshun is certainly worthy of a mention. The landslide has impeded flow on the river and has already created an estimated 8KM lake. It has serious implications for the immediate Zangskar region and potentially the wider region should the landslip breach in a single catastrophic event. There is plenty of information on the internet covering the subject but a comprehensive summary is provided here by the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

The Military and Denied Development in the Pakistani Punjab: An Eroding Social Consensus (2014)

Some of our members may be interested in this new title, publishing the results of a research project for which Ladakh Studies member Sohaib Bodla acted as researcher alongside Shahrukh Rafi Kha and Aisim Sajjad Akhtar. The title is of interest to students, researchers and academics operating in development studies including in the fields of economics, history, sociology and political science, as well as those with an interest in the military and development.

The book focuses on the retrogressive agrarian interventions by the Pakistani military in rural Punjab and explores the social resentment and resistance it triggered, potentially undermining the consensus on a security state in Pakistan. Set against the overbearing and socially unjust role of the military in Pakistan’s economy, this book documents a breakdown in the accepted function of the military beyond its constitutionally mandated role of defence. Accompanying earlier work on military involvement in industry, commerce, finance and real estate, the authors’ research contributes to a wider understanding of military intervention, revealing its hand in various sectors of the economy and, consequently, its gains in power and economic autonomy.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please follow the link below:

http://www.anthempress.com/the-military-and-denied-development-in-the-pakistani-punjab

The book is published by Anthem Press and retails at £60 / US$99.

Author Details

Shahrukh Rafi Khan is a Visiting Professor of economics at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Aasim Sajjad Akhtar is Assistant Professor of political economy at the National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Sohaib Bodla is currently working as a freelance writer and researcher, and as a volunteer for NGOs including the Dutch development organization, Cordaid.

International Conference on Sustainable Development, Rome 2015

 Members, please see the post below on behalf of Ladakh Studies member Vladimiro Pelliciardi 

Dear Friends, on the behalf of the International Steering Committee I am very pleased to announce the 3° International Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2015 in Rome. http://www.ecsdev.org/index.php/conference

During the last conference two papers regarding Ladakh have been presented, both published on the European Journal of Sustainable Development: Emergy evaluation of a traditional farming system. Case study: Leh District (Ladakh - Indian Trans-Himalaya), Vladimiro Pelliciardi, Leonardo Varvaro, Federico Maria Pulselli, it can be downloaded at: http://www.ecsdev.org/ojs/index.php/ejsd/article/view/171
and TECHNOLOGY, EXCRETION AND THE GOOD LIFE, Tanushree Biswas it can be downloaded at: http://www.ecsdev.org/ojs/index.php/ejsd/article/view/150
moreover several other scientist from India was present.

I think that the Conference can be a good opportunity for other scientists and for researchers from Ladakh to present their works; thus, I hope you can post this announce whatever you like.

All the best. Vladimiro

Leh Workshop Report

A pre-conference workshop on “Research in Ladakh: Sharing experiences and research method” for youths and those interested in research was organised by the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) in collaboration with Moravian Mission School, Leh on 2^nd November, 2014. Around 40 people, including students from Eliezer Joldan Memorial College, Leh and members of IALS participated in the workshop, which was in preparation for the 17^th IALS conference in Kargil in 2015.

The workshop started with an introductory presentation by Sonam Wangchok, secretary, IALS. He gave an overview of IALS and its objectives, after which he provided details of the 2015 conference. The workshop was then divided into three distinct sessions. In the first session, Dr. Sonam Wangchok spoke about research methodology and methods followed by a talk by Sunetro Ghosal, editor of IALS’ journal Ladakh Studies, on research methodology and ethics.

The second session included talks by senior researchers, who shared their own experience in conducting research and how they overcome various challenges they faced. This included talks by Abdul Ghani Sheikh, Dr. Thupstan Nurboo of Cultural Academy, Prof. Mohammed Saleem of Sher-e-kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Nawang Tsering Shakspo, Tashi Morup of Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation, Tashi Dawa Tsangspa of Eliezer Joldan Memorial College, Leh, Muzaffar Hussain from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Dr. Tsewang Namgail of Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust. Each talk was followed by an interactive session, between the participants and the speaker who encouraged youth to explore their interest in research.

The third Session was chaired by Rev. E.S. Gergan, principal, Moravian Mission School, Leh. It started with feedback about the workshop from each participant. The general feedback was positive and encouraging, with the participants appreciating the initiative taken by IALS. Many of them said they used to associate research with special degrees and the workshop helped them realise there are no such requirements or age limits to conduct research. One participant was even more candid, “I used to think that only foreigners can do research and publish books but now realise that even Ladakhis can do research. I will now publish at least one book!” 

In his concluding address, Rev. Gergan said that research starts from our childhood when we inquisitively explore the world around us. He added, “Research is not only about degrees. I know many researchers who do not have doctorate degree and still supervise other scholars for their degrees. I am happy to see that IALS is organizing workshops to nurture students and new researchers.

For more information about IALS and its activities, please log onto www.ladakhstudies.org

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                     

SECMOL Ice Stupa Artificial Glacier Initiative

This may be of interest to our members: here is SECMOL's latest engineering project that aims to harvest winter water in the winter to use for irrigation purposes in the spring. Please follow the link for details of the project itself, and for details of how to provide donatations and support.


Jullay to friends of SECMOL,
As you probably know, Sonam Wangchuk has always been experimenting and designing simple solutions to problems and resources. This past year he devised an artificial glacier design to solve the annual springtime water shortages in Ladakhi villages by trapping wasted water in winter in an ice tower in the shape of a stupa. Now a high lama in Ladakh, Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, has asked him to build it on a large scale to green the desert near Phyang Monastery in Ladakh

For details and contribution, please see the link below:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ice-stupa-artificial-glaciers-of-ladakh/x/8841831
If you want to reply, please send it to icestupa@gmail.com
Thank you!
The whole team at SECMOL

Kargil Workshop Report

A pre-conference workshop on “Research in Ladakh: Sharing experiences and research method” for youths and those interested in research was organised by the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) in collaboration with Government Degree College, Kargil on 26^th October, 2014. Around 50 people, including students from Government Degree College, Kargil and members of IALS participated in the workshop, which was in preparation for the 17^th IALS conference in Kargil in 2015.

The workshop began with a welcome speech by Amjad Ali, senior assistant professor at Government Degree College, Kargil. This was followed by an introductory presentation by Sonam Wangchok, secretary, IALS, who spoke about the objectives of IALS and gave an overview of the conference. Kargil district administration was represented by ADC Moses Kunzang. In his opening address, he said, “I was interested in research but did not have many opportunities to pursue it. This is an opportunity for students and new researchers to grasp the opportunity provided by IALS and learn how to conduct research.”

The workshop was divided in two sessions. In the first session, Sonam Wangchok spoke about research methodology and methods followed by a talk by Sunetro Ghosal, editor of IALS’ journal Ladakh Studies, on research methodology and ethics. In the second session, senior researchers from Leh and Kargil shared their research experiences and encouraged youths to explore their interest in research and Ladakh Studies. This included talks by Abdul Ghani Sheik, Kacho Mumtaz Ali Khan, Tashi Morup, Tashi Dawa Tsangspa, Ajaz Hussain Munshi, Tsewang Rigzin and Amjad Ali. Each talk was followed by an interactive session, between the participants and the speaker.

A meeting of IALS members took place after the workshop, where it was decided that a meeting would be held in Kargil after the Muhharam to finalise the date and venue for the conference and also form the organising committee for 17^th IALS conference in Kargil. For more information about IALS and its activities, please log onto www.ladakhstudies.org

                                                                                                                               Sonam Wangchok

Anthropology of Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan 16-1 (2014)

This may be of interest to Ladakh Studies members, particularly those interested in Gilgit, anthropology, and German speaks. The Department of Anthropology, Hamburg University has published a special special edition examining the anthropology of Gilgit Baltistan, It looks like a fascinating volume, with many interesting contributions in both English and German. The link is below,
http://www.ethnologie.uni-hamburg.de/de/forschung/publikationen/ethnoscripts/es-16-1.html

ANTHROPOLOGY OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

This may be of interest to some of our readers, particularly those with an interest in Baltistan, Ladakhi anthropologists, or German speakers. The Anthropology Department of Hamburg University has published a special edition document the Anthropology of Gilgit Baltistan. It looks like an extremely interesting volume, with many interesting articles in English and German. Follow the The link is below to access the special edition. http://www.ethnologie.uni-hamburg.de/de/forschung/publikationen/ethnoscripts/es-16-1.html. 

Kargil Workshop

As mentioned earlier about the one-day workshop in Kargil ahead of the conference, we are happy to inform that this is scheduled for Tuesday, 16th September 2014. The aim of the workshop is to share experiences, findings and research methodologies with new researchers. It will be attended by president, secretary, members and  youths from Kargil. If any member or adviser wish to participate/contribute, please let me know at the earliest. It will help us to organize transportation etc from Leh.

Sonam

The Other Kashmir: Society, Culture and Politics in the Karakoram Himalayas, Professor K. Warikoo

Ladakh Studies Member Professor K. Warikoo of Jawaharlal Nejhru University has recently published this edited volume, which may be of interest to our members. For more information, please follow the link below for more details and for the list of contributors:

http://www.idsa.in/book/OtherKashmir.html

The book is priced at INR 1495

The Karakoram Himalayas have unique geo-political and geo-strategic importance as the boundaries of South and Central Asian countries converge here. Abutting the borders of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and India; and being situated in close proximity to Central Asia, the Karakoram-Himalayan region has been an important constituent of India's trans-Himalayan communication network in the continent and beyond. This region is the cradle from where ancient Indian culture including Buddhism spread in different directions to Central Asia, East Asia and South East Asia. The Karakoram-Himalayan region—what has also been called 'Northern Areas' of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and comprising Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Baltistan, Yasin, Astore, Chilas, Koh-Ghizar , Gupis , Punial and Ishkoman—is the single largest territorial unit of the State. This area constitutes about two-thirds of the total area of 84,471 sq. miles of the entire Jammu and Kashmir State.

The region displays a wide diversity of cultural patterns, languages, ethnic identities and religious practices. The entire region has been a melting pot of different cultures and faiths—Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Whereas a variety of languages—Ladakhi, Balti, Shina, Burushaski, Gojali, Khowar etc. exist in the region, the cross-border linkages between various ethnic-religious groups turn this frontier into a complex vortex of geopolitics. The induction and settlement of Punjabis, Pakhtoons and the Taliban cadres by Pakistan as its calculated policy to colonise the Shia/Ismaili dominated region has not only changed its demographic balance but also led to the rise of sectarianism and religious extremism often leading to violence and conflict. At the same time, the region has been witnessing a new urge for revival of its indigenous languages, cultural heritage and social practices. The social and political aspirations of different indigenous ethnic-religious groups in Karakoram-Himalayas have remained suppressed due to the geopolitical and religious factors. The book is a collection of papers contributed by area specialists and experts from the region-Gilgit-Baltistan, Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as well-known academics and strategic analysts.