The South Asian Studies Program (SASP) at the University of Iowa will kick off its spring seminar series with a talk by Dr. Scott Levi titled "Whither the Silk Road? The View from Early Modern India" on Monday, February 16, at 4:30 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. The event is free and open to the public. Chai and samosas will be served.

More than a century ago, Russian Orientalists advanced a number of erroneous assumptions about Central Asian history that even today remain embedded within the “Silk Road” paradigm.  This presentation illustrates how this “received wisdom” continues to shape our understanding of early modern Central Asian history, and how recent work in Indian history demonstrates the need to rethink these longstanding ideas and approach historical work on the Silk Road with a more critical perspective. 

Dr. Scott Levi is a specialist in the history of Islamic Central Asia in the Department of History at Ohio State University. This presentation draws on Scott Levi’s more than fifteen years of work on the subject, which has culminated in the recent publication of his new book, Caravans: Indian Merchants on the Silk Road (Penguin, 2015).

This event is sponsored by SASP and International Programs.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Sarolta Petersen in advance at 319-335-3862.