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Magic Numbers: Number Magic

Magic Numbers: Number Magic

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Magic Numbers: Number Magic
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<strong>CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE Jawaharlal Nehru University</strong> SEMINAR SERIES <strong>Prof Shirin M. Rai</strong> Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick Visiting Professorial Fellow, CSLG, JNU on <strong>Magic Numbers: Number Magic </strong> How are numbers used in politics? How are they read? Why do numbers make for authoritative political statements? What do they reveal as well as obscure? And should we take numbers seriously? The 'knowledge-effect', the 'agenda-setting', 'the accountability-effect' are modes of governmentality that have been critically examined. But should we then entirely give up on numbers? In this paper I argue that numbers represent in three different modes: descriptive, substantive and symbolic. Numbers describe our everyday worlds; they are given substantive value when policy is made citing the evidence they provide; and they have symbolic and aesthetic value that impresses us with expertise, symmetry and even beauty. We need to understand all these three dimensions critically and openly to derive from numbers their real value – one that does not silence but reveals the complexity of politics. <strong>Friday, 19 February 2016</strong> <strong>ABOUT THE SPEAKER: </strong>Shirin M. Rai is Professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick. Her current work has three strands: feminist international political economy, gender and political institutions, and politics and performance. Her latest books include New Frontiers in Feminist Political Economy (with Georgina Waylen), Democracy in Practice: Ceremony and Ritual in Parliament (ed. Palgrave, 2014) and The Grammar of Politics and Performance (eds. with Janelle Reinelt, Routledge, 2015). At present, Prof Shirin Rai is Visiting Professorial Fellow at CSLG, JNU.

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.