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CSAS Kavita Datla Memorial Lecture | Criss-crossing narratives of empire: Sir Syed at Versailles and the French conquest of Algeria

David Lelyveld
Friday, October 4, 2024
4:00-5:30 PM
Room D Michigan League Map
Attend in person or via Zoom: https://myumi.ch/Rm5e4

In 1869, Sayyid Ahmad Khan (“Sir Syed”) made a brief stop in Paris on his way to a life-transforming journey to Britain. At Versailles, he was shocked and upset when confronted by a huge, almost panoramic painting, “La prise de smala d’Abd el-Kader” for its brutal depiction of the humiliation of the Algerians, particularly the women, which for the French was a triumphal celebration of a turning point in their conquest of Algeria a quarter century earlier. Sayyid Ahmad’s encounter with the painting summons up a challenge for historical exposition, weaving together histories of nineteenth-century French and British imperialism with respect to North Africa and India and the lives of two major contemporary leaders, Amir Abd al-Qadir and Sayyid Ahmad Khan.

David Lelyveld is the author of Aligarh’s First Generation: Muslim Solidarity in British India (1978, reprinted 2003). His publications also deal with the social and political history of Urdu and its differentiation from Hindi. He has held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Minnesota, Columbia and Cornell. He retired as Professor of History at William Paterson University in New Jersey.

The lecture is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Kavita Datla's family and friends.

Free and open to the public
Building: Michigan League
Event Type: Lecture / Discussion
Tags: Asia, Colonialism, History, Pakistan
Source: Happening @ Michigan from Center for South Asian Studies, International Institute, Asian Languages and Cultures

International Institute Programming

The International Institute’s centers sponsor numerous conferences, lectures, exhibits, and cultural performances throughout the year. These events are designed to educate the university community and the public about global issues and inspire discussion and dialogue. 

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