I’m currently a graduate student interested in intellectual history, Anthropology of Islam, and the Islamic revival movements in South Asia. My research explores the important encounters between the formation of Empire, Secularism and role of Muslim intellectuals in South Asia both in shaping the orientation of decolonization, and subverting the socio-political domination of western conceptions of politics. Specifically, my dissertation engages with the questions of translations of Islamic sensibilities that’s corporal, textual and semiotic, and how these inform us the political life of discourses, and the different forms of language which are both embedded within the unique conception of secular and religious dichotomies. Yet how these connect together to weave the invisible forms of sovergnity that challenge the secular logic that governs the post colonial states. Thus, situating such debates within the post colonial nation states, and modern secular democracies reveals how the multiple sovergnities uses different possibilities, and ethical values to enunciate their authority over the human subjects, concomitantly, sustain their presence through often subtle, yet prudent ways. Conceptually, my work seeks to find a common thread that connects the vectors of colonialism, secularism, and the Muslim sovergnity often at cross, yet unsettling directions. in order to understand these relations which are both ethical and political—I locate and examine these intersections through the hermeneutical approach by excavating the multiple interpretations, and translations of epistemic sensibilities that produce unequal yet crucial relations of power.  

Methodologically, I use genealogical approach, and tradition as a conceptual tool to interrogate such intellectual inquiry by excavating the itineraries of socio political struggles that produce and shape the languages of orientation that both constrain, and facilitate the human agency in complicated ways. Yet such engagement asks us; to revisit the intricacies, and question the moralities that define the political rights of people whose indigeneity has remained unrecognized within the such Eurocentric conceptions which inform the notions of self, agency and autonomy in the politics. I’m mostly keen in tracking the circulation of secular beyond the western frontiers, particularly under decolonization in South Asia which provide a leverage to Bourgeoise class to colonize the territories which refused to enter into false promise of empowerment, liberation and freedom. I ask how does the category of secular as a form of political idea were received, challenged by the Muslim intellectuals in South Asia, particularly in places like Kashmir where the Islam is deeply tied to the orientation of socio-political life.  Thus, I track these relations through the conceptual transformations concepts , they meanings they acquire and the possibilities they could enhance to disable and enable certain communities who are located in the positions of domination and subordination at the same time.

AREA OF INTEREST

1. GENEALOGY OF SECULARISM IN SOUTH ASIA

2. ISLAMIC REVIVAL MOVEMENTS AND THEIR TRANSLATIONS OF MODERN NATION STATE AMONG MUSLIM INTELLECTUALS

3. KASHMIR MUSLIM QUESTION AS A JEWISH POLITICAL PROBLEM OF EUROPE

4. INTERPRETATIONS OF SECULAR AND EMERGING CONCEPTIONS OF SOVERGNITY AMONG THE MIDDLE CLASS INTELLECTUALS IN KASHMIR

5. THE PROBLEM AND CONTRADICTIONS IN SECULAR WITHIN CONSTITUTION OF KASHMIR

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Religion, Empire, and Secularism, Islamic traditions, political theories, south Asia