University of Heidelberg

Thomas Ertl, FU Berlin; Harbans Mukhia, JNU New Delhi
09.09.2011-12.09.2011, Berlin, FU Berlin, Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut,
Koserstr. 20, 14195 Berlin, Room A.391

The scrutiny of diversity - cultural, religious, ethnical, and political
- is a central field of current research on European history. As a
result, the perception of medieval Europe has changed. The continent is
now considered as a region of heterogeneity, shaped by steady processes
of integration and disintegration of peoples. There has been a second
shift in medieval Europe's perception; from a traditional point of view,
Europe's supposed singularity has been taken for granted. In contrast,
current works are criticizing this unique status as a global exception.
Several comparative studies, which put Europe in its Eurasian context,
have recently been published - mainly on specific topics such as
perception of the other, political and administrative institutions, the
tradition of wisdom, etc.

In the global context, the Indian subcontinent is an ideal region for
comparison due to its interior variety in cultural, religious, ethnical,
and political terms. Thus, like Europe, India was not a culturally,
religiously, ethnically, or politically unified entity in the period
from 13th to 17th centuries CE. Both pre-modern India and Europe were
characterized by the interaction of variety in unity.

The similarities between Europe and India are obvious, but did the
historical development in both regions follow the same path towards
similar results? There are several essential questions, which have to be
posed in order to tackle the issue: Was the perception, the tackling,
and the result of cultural contact realized in the same way? Was
handling diversity in India similar to handling diversity in Europe?
Moreover, what do we learn about the two world regions by comparing the
specific forms of handling diversity? Are there European or Indian
patterns of dealing with heterogeneity?

Friday, Sept. 9th (Chair: Benjamin Scheller)

14.00 Introduction (Thomas Ertl & Harbans Mukhia)

14.30 Views on heterogeneity (Rajeev Kinra & Antje Flüchter)

16.30 Break

17.00 Political institutions (Corinne Lefèvre & Simon Teuscher)


Saturday, Sept. 10th Morning (Chair: Michael Rothmann)

9.00 Historiography and Identity (Manan Ahmed & Martin Kintzinger)

10.30 Break

11.00 Religions in Confrontation and Debate (Prithvi Datta & Nikolas
Jaspert)

13.00 Lunch


Saturday, Sept. 10th Afternoon (Chair: Harbans Mukhia)

15.00 Money topples Borders? Economy and Diversity (Rajat Datta & Thomas
Ertl)

16.30 Break

17.00 Cultures of giving (Kim Siebenhüner & Peter Burschel & Wim de
Winter)

20.00 Dinner


Sunday, Sept. 11

10.00-18.00 Excursion (Hanno Hochmuth)


Monday, Sept. 12th (Chair: Dagmar Schäfer)

10.00 Concluding discussion