Ouverture de la session de formation
en sciences de l'éducation

1er septembre 2005

The Strange Career of Southeast Asian Studies in India

Sanjib Baruah

Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi , India

and Bard College , Annandale on Hudson , New York , USA

     At the annual meeting of the Indian History Congress in December 2001, Karan Singh appealed to its members to give attention to ‘the history of the great cultural efflorescence from India that spread throughout South and Southeast Asia '. He lamented that ‘ our historians' neglect ‘ our own cultural expansion' and appealed to them to ‘link us to the greater India , in cultural terms that lies far beyond our shores'. The reference to ‘greater India ' is a throwback to an earlier era in Indian intellectual life. During the early and mid-twentieth century pan-Asianism had captured the imagination of many Indian intellectuals.

     Fortunately one does not hear much about ‘greater India ' any more. Singh's speech echoes a battle between secularists and Hindu nationalists currently waging among Indian historians. Though not addressed to experts on Southeast Asia as such, Singh's remarks point to the reality of the relative marginalization of ancient history and of pan-Asian themes in what is formally called Southeast Asian Studies today. His is more of an external critique – it is about what Southeast Asian Studies in India , excludes rather than what it includes. Yet it offers a useful frame to review this field of study.

     Even the most visible kind of Southeast Asian Studies, which enjoys most governmental support – research pursued within the framework of International and Area Studies – has not done very well. While there are resource constraints and other inhibiting factors, a more serious difficulty appears to be the limits of the ‘area studies' way of organizing knowledge. Compared to the interest of the pre- independence intellectual generation in the history and in the arts and cultures of Southeast Asia – animated by pan-Asianism and an interest in the Indian past – the post-independence foreign policy-focused Southeast Asian Studies has not attracted the same sort of interest and energy.

Les relations entre le Cambodge et le Champa
aux 12 ème et 13 ème siècles.

Une conférence du Professeur Michael Vickery, Université de Leyde
23 janvier 2006

Système d'alphabétisation pasigraphique (SAP)
Session de formation 1er – 23 mars 2006

The pasigraphic literacy system

and the development of Cambodia

April 12, 2006

     The Ganesha Institute (IDSSC) is committed to the advancement of literacy in Cambodia . To fulfill this mission the Ganesha Institute (IDSSC) has set up a program based on a new system called pasigraphy . A pasigraphy is a writing system where ideas or concepts are put down rather than a representation of the sounds of a language. The emphasis is to set up a systematic, philosophical system. For instance, the sign of the house is the drawing of a house. It is a totally artificial writing system which cannot really be compared to any existing writing systems, the Chinese system included.

     The current system we are using is composed of more than 2500 signs that have been designed by the French scientist Jacques Rongier for literacy programs that have been implemented in Europe and Africa .

     The Ganesha Institute (IDSSC) has just implemented the pasigraphic system in the framework of its first literacy program. From March 1 st to 23 rd 2006, four illiterate people, 3 adults and 1 child, have been taught through the pasigraphic system. Since the first outcomes were remarkable, it seemed important to present that system and its results to the knowledge of the public.

Agenda of the conference

•  Welcome speech by UNESCO representative, Dr. Supote Prasertsri (5mn)

•  Explanation on the pasigraphic system, its nature and use. Mr Phok Sok Chea IDSSC (5 mn)

•  Jacques Rongier's pasigraphic system. Dr. J.Rongier (10 mn)

•  IDSSC training session in pasigraphic literacy. Ms Chheng Khim, IDSSC (10 mn)

(5) Presentation of the students. Ms Prak Bonami, IDSSC (30mn)

(6) Pasigraphy and literacy. Dr. Jean-Michel Filippi, IDSSC (10 mn)