Ambivalent Enmity in Bordering Processes – Interview with Dr. Philipp Zehmisch (Heidelberg University)

Dr. Philipp Zehmisch (Heidelberg University) in conversation with Sinan Barış Yaşar (HGGS)

- How did the partition between India and Pakistan shape the ambivalent enmity between these cultures? - What forms of cultural resilience have developed along the border between India and Pakistan? - How should we approach and make sense of the sensitive issue of “cross-border ethics,” and what key considerations should guide our understanding of it?

In this episode, Dr. Philipp Zehmisch from the Department of Anthropology at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, invites us into his research on ambivalent amnesty in bordering processes, with a particular focus on the complex dynamics between India and Pakistan. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in the Andaman Islands and in Pakistan, Dr. Zehmisch explores how questions of migration, identity, and the long shadow of partition shape everyday lives. He highlights the importance of cultural production and cross-border collaboration in fostering understanding and resilience among communities on both sides of the border. At the same time, he reflects on the challenges posed by social class and the need for a more nuanced approach to addressing persistent inequalities. Join us as explore how borders shape the relationship between “Us and Them” in the context of partition between India and Pakistan!

For Dr. Zehmisch’s academic profile: https://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/en/departments-and-branches/anthropology/team/dr-philipp-zehmisch

Timeline (00:00) Intro (00:24) Introducing Dr. Philipp Zehmisch and His Academic Background (05:45) Past, Present and Future in the Context of Borders (10:43) The “Inwards” and “Across” Approaches in Examining the Partition (16:03) Cultural Production and Cross-Border Collaboration (19:33) The Role of Music and Religion in Borderlands (25:13) Social Class and Caste Dynamics in Borderlands (28:16) The Shift toward Cross-Border Ethics and Human Interaction (34:02) The Changing Dynamics of “Us and Them” in the Diaspora (37:38) Methodology: Ethno-Historiography in Anthropology (41:22) The Role of Oral Histories in State and Border Dynamics (44:12) Personal Reflections (48:53) Future Projects (51:07) Outro

Keywords Ambivalent Amnesty, Bordering Processes, Borders, India, Pakistan, Partition, Colonialism, South Asia, Anthropology, Migration, Cultural Production, Borderlands, Partition, Social Class, Ethno Historiography, Religion, Islam, Hinduism, Sufism, Music, Cultural Resilience, Nation States, Cross-Border Collaboration, Politics, Border Making, Identity, Human Interaction, Andaman Islands, Diaspora, Inequality, Subalternity, Caste Dynamics, Interdisciplinary Research, Methodology, Us and Them, Social Sciences, Humanities, Heidelberg University, Scientific Podcast, Academic Podcast