Visiting Lecturers 2014

Prof. Bava visited our Institute during the Summer Semester 2014 for the third time in order to discuss current topics in International Politics with Würzburg students. 

The renowned Professor from New Delhi was involved in numerous seminars at the Department for European Studies and International Relations and gave lectures on Indian-German Relations, among other topics, within the Bachelor and Master programs. Prof. Bava gave a presentation in the lecture series “Diversity” on the topic “BRICS: Emerging Powers and New Identities in International Politics” on 21 May 2014. In addition, she also participated in the Conference “Exploring Emerging India”, organized by the India Forum of the Institute for Political Science and Sociology. 

Prof. Bava teaches and does research as a Professor for European Studies at JNU in New Delhi. She is the director of the Europe Area Studies Programme as well as the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Studies. In January 2012 she was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for her personal effort in building German-Indian Relations, which she further demonstrated through her engagement in Würzburg.

Prof. Dr. Biswas was a first time guest to Würzburg during the Summer Semester 2014. She was involved in numerous Seminars in the Department for European Studies and International Relations and discussed Indian Foreign Policy, especially Indian-African Relations, with students. 

Prof. Biswas gave a presentation in the lecture series “Diversity” on the topic “Changing Dynamics of India-Africa Relations” on 24 June 2014. The renowned expert also took part in the Conference “Exploring Emerging India”, organized by the India Forum of the Institute for Political Science and Sociology, as a speaker.

Prof. Biswas is a Professor at the University of Mumabi and Director of the Department of African Studies. She teaches and does research on Indian-African Relations, the Africa Policies of other rising powers as well as the new international organizational forms such as IBSA and BRICS. 

Prof. Dr. Valerian Rodrigues, from the Centre for Political Studies at Jawaharlal-Nehru University in New Delhi, visited the Institute for the second time after being a guest in Würzburg during the Summer Semester 2011. 

Prof. Rodrigues focuses on Political Philosophy, Social and Political Thought in India as well as representation and political institutions. Among his numerous publications are included his, together with B.L. Shankar, published study on “The Indian Parliament: A Democracy at Work” as well as his article on “Muslim Political Thought in Modern India”. 

During Summer Semester 2014 he led the seminar “Politics in India” at the Department of Comparative Politics and Systems Theory and was also involved in the Seminar “Problems of Constitutional Democracies” from PD Dr. Michael Becker. Prof. Rodrigues also gave a presentation in the lecture series “Diversity” on the topic “India’s Parliamentary Elections 2014” on 27 May 2014. Also as part of the Institute’s Colloquium on 25 July 2014, the renowned expert spoke and looked at „Civil Society, the Party System, and Elections in India". In addition, along with the other visiting Professors from India, he was an active participant at the Conference “Exploring Emerging India”, organized by the India Forum of the Institute for Political Science and Sociology. 

At the end of 2014 the 4th Edition of the Würzburger Arbeitspapiere zur Politikwissenschaft und Sozialforschung (WAPS), composed by Prof. Rodrigues, was released with the topic “Elections and Civil Society in India”. He focuses on the Indian Parliamentary elections of 2014 and analyses the results with a differentiated look at the electoral behavior of social groups.

Dr. Sucharita Sengupta is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia (Islamic University) in New Delhi.

In November 2014, in her first trip to Würzburg, she was a guest at the Department of Political Theory at the Institute for Political Science and Sociology. 

Dr. Sengupta spoke on the topic “Nationalism in West and East”, among other topics, in various Master courses. In addition, she led a Workshop together with PD Dr. Michael Becker on the topic “Feminism in Contemporary India” on 7 November 2014.

Dr. Shaji Sadasivan Nair in an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at Hyderabad University. He visited the Institute for Political Science and Sociology in December 2014. This was his second stay in Würzburg after his visit in summer 2012. 

Dr. Shaji was involved in numerous seminars at the Department for European Studies and International Relations. He lectured, among other topics, on India’s policies in the United Nations, India’s perspective on current crises and conflicts, and discussed with Würzburg students Indian-African Relations.