Tracing the cultural interactions between South and Southeast Asia since prehistoric times, the book critically scrutinizes the current cultural diplomacy initiatives of India´s Look-Act East Policy. Reminding the need to look at culture as a two-way process and the need to re-define the understanding of culture in its Space Age setting, the author emphasizes on India realising its unique multicultural potentiality to broaden the outlook and parameters of cultural diplomacy to suit the unfolding World Order in the region. The nature and composition of the demography of Southeast Asia and its Indian diaspora calls for a balanced approach in covering the land and maritime sectors, the book further observes. Adopting a peoples-centric approach, the author argues for cultural interactions to go beyond the union government and its agencies and advocates for the role of state governments, non-governmental actors, and other community initiatives as well.
Tracing the cultural interactions between South and Southeast Asia since prehistoric times, the book critically scrutinizes the current cultural diplomacy initiatives of India´s Look-Act East Policy. Reminding the need to look at culture as a two-way process and the need to re-define the understanding of culture in its Space Age setting, the author emphasizes on India realising its unique multicultural potentiality to broaden the outlook and parameters of cultural diplomacy to suit the unfolding World Order in the region. The nature and composition of the demography of Southeast Asia and its Indian diaspora calls for a balanced approach in covering the land and maritime sectors, the book further observes. Adopting a peoples-centric approach, the author argues for cultural interactions to go beyond the union government and its agencies and advocates for the role of state governments, non-governmental actors, and other community initiatives as well.
1 Introduction.- Part I Historical Antecedents and Current Cultural Practices: ‘A Nation that Doesn’t Honour Its Past Has No Future’—Goethe.- 2 The Past: Contextualising the Cultural Roots.- 3 Contemporary Agents and Their Workings.- Part II Cultural Diplomacy Instruments: ‘Seek Ye Knowledge, Even unto China’—Hadith.- 4 Religious Diplomacy.- 5 Heritage Diplomacy.- 6 Popular Culture.- 7 Broadcasting, Higher Education, Tourism and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) .- Part III Focused Undertakings and their Implications: ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—Maha Upanishad.- 8 Look–Act East Policy and the Northeast Region.- 9 The Diasporic Dimension.- 10 Hindu Nationalism and Its Ramifications.- Part IV Conclusion: “To us the most striking feature of ancient Indian civilization is its humanity.”- A.L Basham in "The Wonder That was India".- 11 Overview.- 12 The Way Forward.- PostScript.- Index.
Dr Sarita Dash is an independent researcher who has
received her PhD from the Centre for South Asian Studies of the
School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New
Delhi. Her research interests include Cultural Dimensions of Indian
Foreign Policy, Odisha Studies, and Culture and Identity Related
Issues in South Asia.
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