Visiting Researcher: Nivedita Menon
The University of Exeter recently welcomed the eminent Indian feminist and public intellectual Professor Nivedita Menon as part of the Societies and Cultures Institute’s Visiting Researcher grant awarded to the South Asia Centre. Over the course of a week in February, Prof. Menon engaged faculty, postgraduate researchers, and students across both campuses in a series of thought-provoking events that explored pressing issues at the intersection of politics, gender, and critical thought from South Asia and the Global South.
Prof. Menon’s visit centred around her latest book, Secularism as Misdirection: Critical Thought from the Global South (2024), a groundbreaking work that challenges dominant liberal discourses on secularism. In this book, she argues that the idea of secularism often functions as a ‘misdirection,’ diverting attention from systemic structures of caste, capitalism, and patriarchy. Her time on campus allowed participants to engage directly with these ideas through a series of carefully curated keynotes and conversations.
The week commenced with a Session titled ‘The Republic at 75: A Conversation on India’ with the Co-Directors of the South Asia Centre, Dr Kalathmika Natarajan and Dr Shubranshu Mishra. The discussion provided a broad canvas for reflections on India’s current political climate and involved interactions with colleagues and postgraduate researchers.
Prof. Menon delivered her first keynote on the Streatham campus on February 26, the talk drew a large and engaged audience. Drawing on her recent book, she examined how the global discourse on secularism often reinforces hegemonic narratives, sidelining more urgent struggles tied to social justice in the Global South. The conversation extended to the Cornwall campus on February 27, where Prof. Menon delivered a second keynote, ‘State, Religion, and Bodies of Women’. This session unpacked the deeply gendered dimensions of state and religious power. Following the lecture, Prof. Menon joined Dr Karen Scott and Dr Xianan Jin for a compelling panel on ‘Difficult Knowledge and Global Feminism’. This session offered a rare opportunity for interdisciplinary dialogue and was especially resonant for those working at the intersection of feminist theory, religious studies, and global politics.
The week concluded on February 28, with a conversation on pedagogy and the state of South Asian Studies with Prof. Sajjad Rizvi, Director of Global and Area Studies. Prof. Menon’s insights, drawn from decades of activism and scholarship, provided impetus for work towards the development of a new MA programme.
Prof. Menon’s week-long visit to Exeter offered a valuable opportunity for interdisciplinary dialogue and debate on key issues pertaining to South Asia and the Global South. It brought together a range of students and faculty members across the Streatham and Cornwall campuses and has set the stage for deepening partnerships and collaboration over research and pedagogy. The South Asia Centre extends its thanks to all those who participated and to Prof. Menon for an intellectually invigorating and inspiring visit.
