Division News & Statements
Scholar will discuss censorship, religion
October 28, 2016
(This story originally appeared on GVNext)
A professor of religion at the University of Chicago will bring first-hand accounts of religion and censorship when she delivers a keynote presentation on campus.
Wendy Doniger, scholar and author of The Hindus: An Alternative History, will give a presentation on Monday, November 7, at noon in the Mary Idema Pew Library, multipurpose room. Her presentation will be preceded by a reception that begins at 11:30 a.m. and followed by a book signing.
The event is free and open to the public. It is approved for LIB 100 and 201 courses.
Sarah King, associate professor of liberal studies and program coordinator for religious studies, said Doniger's book was withdrawn from publication in India because it offended a group of right-wing nationalists. The Hindus was published in India in 2010 and became the target of lawsuits, including that it violated the country's law of deliberately offending a person's religious sensibilities. In 2014, Penguin Books India announced it would not publish the book in India, an announcement that drew calls of censorship.
King said Doniger, a prolific author of more than 40 books, will talk about the challenges of discussing sensitive topics in religion, especially Hinduism.
Abhishek Ghosh, assistant professor of religious studies, studied with Doniger as a graduate student. "Wendy may be very controversial in India, but these controversial ideas are also very important to understanding alternative perspectives on Hinduism," Ghosh said.
Doniger's presentation is sponsored by many Grand Valley departments: Area and Global Studies, Brooks College Dean's Office, Meijer Honors College, Human Rights Minor, Kaufman Interfaith Institute, Liberal Studies, Sociology, and Anthropology.
For More Information Contact: Michele Coffill in University Communications - (616) 331-2221