1 week Ago By Qatar Tribune
Qatar tribune Ten Georgetown University students from campuses in the US and Qatar recently came together in India for an immersive research experience as part of the interdisciplinary course Indian Ocean Research Colloquium. Taught simultaneously across continents, the two-semester-long course explores the cultural, historical, and social dynamics of the Indian Ocean world through the combined lenses of history, literature, and anthropology. Students enrolled in the jointly offered course furthered their learning by spending a week in Goa and Kerala.
Accompanied by their professors, they visited sites of religious, cultural, and historical importance. For many tourists to India, it is a land of historical wonders. “From a 12th century synagogue in Kochi to grand historic mansions that are testament to the wealth and power of the Portuguese empire in Goa, the students witnessed a huge swathe of the past,” shared Professor Chakravarti, adding:“At the same time it was important that the students understand that India is a complex modern nation.
” During an early morning visit to a deep-sea fish auction, students spoke to the fishermen driving the economy of modern Kochi. Meetings with artists, academics, archivists and publishers gave students a glimpse of the cultural and intellectual life of contemporary Goa. “During our visit to the Goa Central Library, I spoke with a researcher at the National Institute of Oceanography, the central focus of my research project, allowing me to understand the state of science and scientific education today,” said DC campus student Jyotsna Venkatesh “Now, when conducting my research on the geopolitics of science in the Indian Ocean, I have a strong understanding of what investments in science look like at a local level in contemporary India.
” The trip also fostered rich intellectual exchange between the students themselves who brought different regional insights and academic backgrounds to their work. (TNN) Copy 29/04/2025 10.
