Oxford-Warsaw Exchange 2018 (Part 1)

Prof Matthew McCartney, Dr Muhammad Ali Jan and four Modern South Asian Studies master's students travelled to Warsaw from 6th-9th May for a conference.

Here are their reflections:

"The conference was a two day event covering a broad spectrum of research areas related to the geo-politics and economics of South Asia. I gave a paper titled, ‘Language, Power and Politics-The Sociolinguistic crisis in Sri Lanka. The presentation was followed by a discussion, where I received a lot of good constructive feedback. In retrospect, it was a great opportunity to gather different opinions on my work and learn from more experienced colleagues. In my opinion, one of the great things about the conference was meeting other postgraduates and  like-minded early career researchers. It is a wonderful opportunity to speak to people who are interested in the same research areas as you but study at different Universities.The two days were also filled with a lot of fun events including dinners  and sightseeing. It was a good opportunity to interact and build a good rapport with teachers and students. I would recommend all future postgraduate students that they attend this conference and make the best of this experience."

- Priya Rajan (MSc Modern South Asian Studies student)

"While doing my fieldwork in India, all of a sudden, I received an email mentioning that I have been chosen for Warsaw Exchange and Conference. I was delighted to be selected for this prestigious program but was not sure whether it would be either an exciting or a rewarding experience. Contrary to my expectation, the four days in Warsaw were both exciting and fun-filled as an overall experience and demanding intellectually. To present an innovative idea and being reviewed in front of a bevvy of scholars from a range of disciplines from the universities of Warsaw (Poland), Victoria (Australia), Calcutta (India), Heidelberg (Germany), and Oxford (United Kingdom) was indeed unique. This scholarly milieu was complemented by a judge from ICJ (International Court of Justice), Ambassador to Poland from New Zealand, and thinkers from prominent think-tanks as well as policy makers bringing views from policy world. While the day was consumed in rigorous academic speculation, the evenings gave an equally excellent opportunity to explore the Polish culture and hospitality, especially exploring new cuisines and pub-hopping. The mesmerising Old Town, the history-laden museums, or the ornate Opera House were cherry on the top of unique academic experience. See how joyous we all are!"

- Chirayu Thakkar (MSc Modern South Asian Studies student)

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