Eastern Interest

We are a group of young and driven research scholars, trying to look at the Indo-Pacific in general and East & South East Asia (what was known as the Orient in the early days) in particular through a new lens. We want to break the mold of researching exclusively on particular areas, in a way, the topics of studying a region need not isolated (i.e. they may be impacted and in turn may impact other topics as well). The bases of studying any Geo-Political Region, has been for very long, “To study the subjects which are necessary for the formation of the societies and their sustenance, be it, History, Intellectual Currents, Political Institutions, Economy, Culture, etc.’. However, in this approach we study the traditional culture & social development and leave the contemporary for the later stages, whereas we study contemporary foreign-policy & Geo- politics. This sometimes makes sense, however, we as researchers can mostly understand things in retrospect & then provide a swath of research material. We understand that it is very useful and helps in the formation of policies in future, however, we find the field has been so niche that it has not been influential on the young generation as a whole in the formation of their ideas regarding different regions. We want to create a platform and try something out of the box. That is, to blend the serious topic of Area Studies with the study of patterns of Popular Culture and things that influence the perspectives & behavior of today’s Youth (specifically in Indo-Pacific Region). This is a deliberate effort to add to the increasing literature of Area Studies and the way in which its study is practiced.