101 – The Indian National Emergency (1975 – 1977) and its afterlife: a reflection through cultural production 50 years on
Often described as “India’s first dictatorship” (Jaffrelot and Anil 2020) and “Indian democracy’s darkest hour” (Prakash 2017), the National Emergency (1975 – 1977) is one of the most controversial and debated moments in modern Indian history. Imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the 21 months-long period was marked with suspension of political procedures, civil liberties, media censorship and violation of human rights. The Emergency has left a lingering impact on Indian politics, and its afterlife has been especially scrutinized with reference to the current political landscape and the rhetoric of a “second undeclared emergency” (Ganguly 2024, Prakash 2019). And yet, for decades the Emergency has remained at the margins of the collective memory of India, finding a reflection as a “counter-memory” (Merivirta 2019, Tarlo 2003) primarily through the creative sphere. Since the vast majority of research on the representation of the Emergency focuses on literature, a broader interdisciplinary approach is necessary to fully understand the impact and effect of this period. Therefore, marking 50 years since the beginning of the Emergency, this panel proposes to expand the discussion on representations and memories of the Emergency and its aftermath through various cultural forms. The panel aims to put in dialogue research on how different forms of cultural production and media (including film, television, literature, music, visual culture, performative arts etc.) both from India and the diaspora, have dealt and continue to deal with the long shadow of this traumatic period of modern Indian political history, as well as its impact on creative expressions.